The Dance Class

In a spacious rehearsal room the aging ballet master Jules Perrot, leaning on a stick, directs a group of young dancers. Some practice, others wait, adjust their costumes or rest — a loose, truthful scene. Degas is famed for ballet subjects, yet he focused on what happened offstage: rehearsal, waiting and fatigue. For years he frequented the wings and practice rooms of the Paris Opéra; Perrot, shown here, was a celebrated dancer and choreographer of the day. Asymmetrical composition and the diagonal lines of the floor open a deep space, and figures are cut off by the edges as if glimpsed by chance. This seemingly casual but carefully orchestrated design is the enduring fascination of his art.