Edgar Degas: La petite danseuse de 14 ans (1881)
Little Dancer of Fourteen Years is a two-thirds life size (99 cm) sculpture by Edgar Degas of a young student of the Paris Opera Ballet dance school, Marie van Goethem.
Chris Costello: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen
Chris Costello: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen
Chris Costello: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen
Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, by Edgar Degas
« Now adored, this original wax version of Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer Aged Fourteen was reviled by most critics when it was shown at the 1881 impressionist exhibition in Paris.» Explore This Work
Between 1878 and 1881, Edgar Degas drew, painted and sculpted Marie van Goethem in artworks including Dancer with Fan, Dancing Lesson, Dancer Resting, numerous preparatory sketches and most famously in La petite danseuse de 14 ans. He frequently attended ballet performances at the Paris Opera and often observed classes at the dance school. By posing for Degas, Marie likely earned five to six francs per four-hour sitting.
Edgar Degas: Three Studies of a Dancer in Fourth Position
