Edgar Degas – Two Dancers Metropolitan Museum: part 2

The drawing presents two young women in what appears to be a backstage setting. They are positioned close together, their bodies angled towards each other but their gazes directed downwards and away from one another. Both figures wear the characteristic attire of ballet dancers: short, layered skirts revealing legs poised en pointe, and simple tops that expose portions of the upper torso. The artist has rendered them with a rapid, almost sketch-like quality; lines are loose and expressive, suggesting movement and fleeting observation rather than meticulous detail.
The composition is dominated by verticality, emphasized by the figures’ postures and the implied height of the backdrop against which they stand. This creates a sense of enclosure and intimacy, as if we are privy to a private moment. The use of charcoal or pastel allows for subtle gradations in tone, hinting at the play of light within the space – though the overall palette remains muted and restrained.
The subtext of this work seems to revolve around themes of anticipation, vulnerability, and perhaps even a quiet melancholy. Their downcast eyes suggest introspection or preoccupation; they are not engaged with each other or with an external audience. The proximity of the figures implies a shared experience – the demands and pressures inherent in their profession – yet there is no overt interaction between them. This distance fosters a sense of isolation, despite their physical closeness.
The artist’s choice to depict these dancers in a moment of stillness, rather than during performance, shifts the focus from spectacle to the human element behind the art form. It invites contemplation on the personal sacrifices and emotional complexities that underpin the seemingly effortless grace of ballet. The drawings unfinished quality further reinforces this sense of immediacy and authenticity, as if we are witnessing an unposed glimpse into their lives.