The Dancing Class by Edgar Degas, Vintage Ballet

The Dancing Class (c. 1870) by Edgar Degas is a vintage impressionist fine art dance painting. A studio classroom filled with ballerinas. One ballet dancer is performing in front of a mirror and teacher. The dancer at the center of the painting is Josephine Gaujelin (or Gozelin), she is waiting for the starting note from the ballet master. A man is sitting at a piano and playing music on a violin. This is the first of many ballet paintings that Degas painted. About the artist: Edgar Degas (1834-1917) is regarded as one of the founders of Impressionism although he preferred realism and to be called a realist. Degas is especially identified with the subject of ballet dance, and over half his works depict dancers.