Edgar Degas was a keen observer of humanity, whose innovative composition, skillful drawing, and sensuous sculpture made him the master of representing the figure in motion. In his lifetime, he was already known as "the painter of dancers," with more than half his works devoted to the on-and off-stage activities of dance students and stars.

Degas’ dancers are graceful, intriguing images of natural and spontaneous beauty, and Degas and the Dance illuminates the artist’s dance paintings, sculptures, drawings—and his obsession with the subject—in a new way.

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On view at the DIA from October 20, 2002 to January 12, 2003, Degas and the Dance provides a backstage pass to 19th-century Parisian ballet. No previous exhibition has attempted to situate these works in the overall context of 19th-century ballet and the history of dance so thoroughly. This exhibition includes works from 97 collections in eleven countries around the world in all media spanning Degas’ entire career. By placing more than 100 of Degas’ works side-by-side with model stage sets, costume designs, and photographs of the dancers, Degas and the Dance offers an unprecedented glimpse into the world of dance and into the mind of a brilliant artist.