Prima ballerina edgar degas

This painting is titled L'Étoile (The Star).

Prima ballerina edgar degas

We see a lone ballerina on the stage, the stage lighting shining brilliantly onto her and her performance. She is en pointe, balancing gracefully on one leg and maintaining a majestic pose. There are flowers on her white dress; her ribbon flows out from her extended neck; and she wears a crown atop her head.

She bends her head back and closes her eyes in sweet triumph at the success of her performance (perhaps the audience is clapping for this young star at this moment), and her rosy cheeks blush with the satisfaction of accomplishment.

Prima ballerina edgar degas paintings

She almost could be a star, ascending to the heavens with her great feats of physical strength and perfected gracefulness. Maybe in this moment she feels, like a star, on top of the world, but one glance to the left and we can see, hiding behind the curtain, a foreboding, black figure standing calmly and watchfully to the side of all the action.

This is the young dancer's pa