Three Dancers Resting

c. 1880

Edgar Degas

Associated Names
Edgar Degas

Artist, French, 1834 - 1917

This drawing shows three dancers in ballet attire. Two on the left are sitting, with their heads turned toward each other and their legs outstretched. The third dancer on the right is turned away from them, her knees bent, appearing to stretch. The scene is mostly drawn in thin gray lines on light brown paper. However, some areas are shaded in bright colors, such as blue, pink, and white. Some of these highlights are on the dancer's costumes or shoes, while some are on their hair and limbs.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    black chalk and pastel on tan wove paper

  • Credit Line

    Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon

  • Dimensions

    overall: 47 x 61.9 cm (18 1/2 x 24 3/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1985.64.87

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Lemoisne 1946, no. 531

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Henry O. Havemeyer [1847-1907]; his daughter, Electra Havemeyer Webb [Mrs. James Watson Webb, 1888-1960]; her daughter and son-in-law, Electra Havemeyer Webb Bostwick [1910-1982] and Dunbar W. Bostwick [d. 2006]. Paul Mellon [1907-1999]; gift 1985 to NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1984

  • Degas, the Dancers. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1984, no. 45.

1986

  • Gifts to the Nation: Selected Acquisitions from the Collections of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1986, unnumbered checklist

1999

  • An Enduring Legacy: Masterpieces from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1999-2000.

2019

  • Degas at the Opera, Musée d'Orsay, Paris, 2019-2020, no. 299, repro.

Bibliography

1946

  • Lemoisne, Paul André. Degas et son oeuvre. 4 vols. Paris: Arts et metiers graphiques, 1946-1949. Vols. 2 and 3, 1946. Reprinted in 5 vols., New York and London, 1984.

1984

  • Shackelford, George. Degas: The Dancers. Exh. cat. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1984: no. 45, repro.

  • Lemoisne, Paul-André. Degas et son Oeuvre. 5 vols, New York (1984): 2: 300-301, no. 531.

2019

  • Schulman, Michael.Edgar Degas, Digital Critical Catalogue. MS-2002.

  • Loyrette, Henri, editor.Degas at the Opéra. Exh. cat. Musée d'Orsay, Paris; National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2019-2020: 281, no. 299

Inscriptions

upper right in black: Degas

Wikidata ID

Q64556353

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