Degas and the Ballet, Picturing Movement, Royal Academy of Arts

Degas’ love affair with dance and movement can be seen in the vast majority of his paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings, and in the Royal Academy of Arts’ exhibition, Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement, the full force of his skill is brought together in one place.

Opening on the weekend of the 17th September 2011 and running through until the 11th December 2011, Degas and the Ballet is a great exhibition to see the movement and beauty that Degas was able to capture so perfectly. In addition to his work, the exhibition also sets out to parallel the developments in photography early examples of film.

Though Degas was reputed to be a bit of a git, with stories of opposition to social reform and religious discrimination, he could definitely paint an impressively expressive ballet scene. While it would be great to be able to go back and let him know that he was being a bit of a div, that ship has sailed, so all that’s left to do is enjoy what he was good at.

Works that will be on display in the exhibition include, Two Dancers on the Stage c.1874, La Danse Grecque 1885-1890, Three Dancers (Blue Skirts, Red Bodices) c.1903, The Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen 1880-1881 and Ballet Scene from Meyerbeer’s Opera ‘Robert le Diable’ by Degas, and ‘Woman dancing (Fancy)’, plate 187 of Animal Locomotion, 1884-86 by Edweard Muybridge.