Little Dancer of Fourteen Years
Artist: Edgar Degas
Year Composed: 1880
Artistic Movement: Impressionism
Nationality: France
Floor Found in Château: Second Garden
Year Composed: 1880
Artistic Movement: Impressionism
Nationality: France
Floor Found in Château: Second Garden
About the Artwork
Marie van Goethem was a young French girl of Belgian descent, training and performing with the Paris Opera Ballet. She is the model behind Edgar Degas' Little Dancer of Fourteen Years. Degas composed the sculpture at one-third of her actual size, and out of wax. Wax was not a common material used for sculpture during the 19th Century (or during the 1800s). After his death, Degas' sculpture has been made into almost thirty bronze sculptures, each having their own place within museums around the world. The original wax figure, showing Marie posed in the stoic and strong fourth position, is currently housed in the National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C., United States of America).
About the Artist
Known for his prints, paintings, and sculptures, French-born Edgar Degas was known for his large portfolio of dancers and dance-inspired artworks. More than half of his works relate to the theme of dance. Within the Impressionist style, Degas was able to depict movement and motion using his painterly style and use of loose, vivid brushstrokes. These dance-themed pieces include The Dance Class (1873-1876), Musicians in the Orchestra (1872), and his Little Dancer of Fourteen Years (1878-1881).
About the Movement
Little Dancer of Fourteen Years was composed in the Impressionist Age of art. Impressionism was characterized by extremely loose brushstrokes that were visible throughout the entire painting. This 19th-Century (or 1800s) art movement took landscapes, figures, and objects and incorporated both movement and emotion. Impressionism, in a matter of style, was almost the blending between Cubism and Baroque art; that dramatic and emotional appeal of the Baroque mixed with the inclusion of motion and the passing of time of Cubism. Some of the most famous Impressionist artists included Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas.
Location of Original Work of Art: National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., United States of America
Marie van Goethem was a young French girl of Belgian descent, training and performing with the Paris Opera Ballet. She is the model behind Edgar Degas' Little Dancer of Fourteen Years. Degas composed the sculpture at one-third of her actual size, and out of wax. Wax was not a common material used for sculpture during the 19th Century (or during the 1800s). After his death, Degas' sculpture has been made into almost thirty bronze sculptures, each having their own place within museums around the world. The original wax figure, showing Marie posed in the stoic and strong fourth position, is currently housed in the National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C., United States of America).
About the Artist
Known for his prints, paintings, and sculptures, French-born Edgar Degas was known for his large portfolio of dancers and dance-inspired artworks. More than half of his works relate to the theme of dance. Within the Impressionist style, Degas was able to depict movement and motion using his painterly style and use of loose, vivid brushstrokes. These dance-themed pieces include The Dance Class (1873-1876), Musicians in the Orchestra (1872), and his Little Dancer of Fourteen Years (1878-1881).
About the Movement
Little Dancer of Fourteen Years was composed in the Impressionist Age of art. Impressionism was characterized by extremely loose brushstrokes that were visible throughout the entire painting. This 19th-Century (or 1800s) art movement took landscapes, figures, and objects and incorporated both movement and emotion. Impressionism, in a matter of style, was almost the blending between Cubism and Baroque art; that dramatic and emotional appeal of the Baroque mixed with the inclusion of motion and the passing of time of Cubism. Some of the most famous Impressionist artists included Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas.
Location of Original Work of Art: National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., United States of America