Edgar Degas, a master of Impressionism, captured fleeting moments of Parisian life, and among his most celebrated works is “The Dance Class.” This painting, also known as “Examen de danse” or “La Classe de danse,” has captivated art historians and enthusiasts for over a century. This article delves into the rich history and critical reception of this iconic piece, drawing upon a comprehensive collection of scholarly references that illuminate its journey through time.
The story of “The Dance Class” is intricately linked to letters written by Degas himself in the 1870s. Correspondence with Charles Deschamps and Jean-Baptiste Faure, a prominent opera singer and art collector, provides crucial insights into the painting’s commission and creation. Degas’s letters from late 1873 and early 1874 reveal his ongoing work for Faure, culminating in a letter dated March 6, 1874, where he acknowledges receiving five thousand francs from Faure for “Examen de danse,” strongly believed to be the painting now known as “The Dance Class.” Further correspondence in November 1874 suggests Degas’s commitment to Faure, specifically concerning a “large picture,” again pointing towards the significance and scale of “The Dance Class.”
The painting’s public unveiling occurred in 1876 at the “Exhibition of the ‘Intransigeants’,” an early Impressionist exhibition. Philippe Burty, in his review for Academy, noted “the green-room of the Opera” among Degas’s exhibited works, an early mention that likely refers to “The Dance Class.” Pierre Dax, writing in L’artiste, also alluded to Degas’s depictions of operatic settings, contributing to the initial public discourse surrounding the artwork.
As the 20th century dawned, “The Dance Class” solidified its place in Degas’s oeuvre and art historical narratives. Georges Grappe’s 1908 publication on Degas featured the painting as “Le Foyer de la danse; Das Foyer der Tanzschule; The Dancer’s Foyer,” showcasing its visual prominence. P.-A Lemoisne, in his 1912 Degas catalog, dated the work to 1875, basing his estimation on a drawing of the ballet master, identified as Plucque. Julius Meier-Graefe, writing in 1920, titled it “La Classe de danse” and placed its creation between 1872 and 1873, viewing it as related to another Degas painting housed in the Musée d’Orsay. He even playfully suggested Degas’s aspiration to emulate Meissonier’s meticulous style and identified the ballet master as Moraine, showcasing early art historical debate around the painting’s details and influences.
“The Dance Class” crossed the Atlantic and garnered attention in America. A 1921 New York Tribune article by Royal Cortissoz highlighted “Modern Unrest in French Art” at the Metropolitan Museum, featuring the painting and introducing it to a wider American audience. Paul Jamot in 1924 considered it a replica with variations of the Orsay picture, dating it around 1875, further fueling discussions about versions and repetitions in Degas’s work. Ambroise Vollard’s 1924 publication depicted it as “La répétition au foyer de la danse,” emphasizing the rehearsal aspect of the scene. J. B. Manson in 1927 went as far as to suggest it was “possibly a better” version than the Orsay painting, adding to the comparative analysis between different iterations of Degas’s dance class theme.
Marcel Guérin’s 1931 edition of Degas’s letters clarified the commission timeline, stating Faure commissioned the work in 1872, with delivery and payment of Fr 5,000 occurring in 1874. Marguerite Rebatet in 1944 placed it around 1874–76, mistakenly locating it at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MMA). P[aul]. A[ndré]. Lemoisne’s comprehensive Degas catalog raisonné (1946–49) titled it “Examen de danse (Classe de danse),” dating it to about 1876 and suggesting the Salle Ventadour as the setting. He confirmed Faure’s 1874 payment and reiterated its status as a replica of the Orsay picture, also referencing related studies. John Rewald in 1946 dated it around 1872, adding to the ongoing date range estimations. Lillian Browse (1949) titled it “La Classe de danse de M. Perrot,” placing it around 1874–76 and noting a recurring seated dancer figure in Degas’s drawings. She questioned if this was the “Examen de danse” exhibited in 1874, raising doubts about Degas taking liberties with depicting examination settings at that early stage.
Pierre Cabanne (1957) offered conflicting dates within his publication, suggesting both 1876 and 1876, highlighting the ongoing uncertainty in pinpointing the exact year of creation. Jakob Rosenberg (1959) leaned towards 1876. Louisine W. Havemeyer’s memoirs (1961) provided anecdotal evidence of the painting’s acquisition history, detailing how Mr. Havemeyer encouraged Colonel Payne to purchase it and later expressing regret at not securing it for themselves, emphasizing its perceived value even at the time. Ronald Pickvance (1963) referred to it as “L’Examen de danse,” dating it 1873–74 and considering it a compositional variant of the Orsay picture. Lillian Browse (1967) again used the title “La Classe de danse de M. Perrot,” maintaining the 1874–76 timeframe. Fiorella Minervino (1970) dated it to approximately 1876.
Anthea Callen’s 1971 thesis identified it as number 54 in the first Impressionist exhibition, a point later debated by other scholars. Charles S. Moffett’s 1974 exhibition catalog for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the painting resides, called it “The Dance Class” and dated it 1875–76. Moffett suggested that changes from the Orsay version were intentional refinements for greater subtlety. Theodore Reff’s 1976 catalog of Degas’s notebooks cited “Danseuses Faure” in a list preparing for the 2nd Impressionist exhibition, linking it to this painting. Roy McMullen (1984) corroborated the 1874 sale to Faure. George T. M. Shackelford (1984) viewed it as a reworking of the Orsay picture, suggesting Degas’s intention to re-emphasize a forward-facing dancer. Shackelford also noted the lack of pentimenti in “The Dance Class” compared to the Orsay version, suggesting it was a later variant, and described its composition as “disturbingly unbalanced.” Ivor Guest (1984) dated it 1875. Frances Weitzenhoffer (1986) called it “The Dance Lesson,” dating it around 1874, and recounted Mary Cassatt’s high praise, comparing it favorably to Vermeer. Hollis Clayson (1986) identified it as number 37 in the 2nd Impressionist exhibition, while Gary Tinterow (1987) in a Met publication, also titled it “The Dance Class,” dating it 1873–74, detailing Faure’s 1872 commission and November 1874 delivery. Tinterow highlighted its complex composition and figural arrangements, linking its perspective to “Portraits in an Office (New Orleans).”
John Russell’s 1987 New York Times Magazine article featured a color illustration, increasing public visibility. Michael Pantazzi (1988) provided detailed accounts of Faure’s dealings with Degas, confirming the 1873 commission for a dance class scene. Pantazzi noted Degas starting the Orsay version for Faure but later painting “The Dance Class” in 1874, delivering it by November. Jean Sutherland Boggs (1988) and Barbara Scott (1988) further contributed to its appreciation, with Scott calling it “fresher and more luminous” than the Orsay version. Robert Gordon and Andrew Forge (1988) and Robert L. Herbert (1988) included it in their Degas and Impressionism studies, with Herbert dating it around 1876 and emphasizing both versions as “pure inventions.” Michael Kimmelman (1988) announced the opening of new Metropolitan galleries featuring Degas, implicitly referencing the prominence of “The Dance Class.”
Gary Tinterow and Anne Norton (1989) reaffirmed its presence as no. 37 at the 2nd Impressionist exhibition. Richard Thomson (1989) reviewed the Degas exhibitions in Ottawa and New York, likely discussing “The Dance Class.” Anne Distel (1990) included it in a publication on Impressionist collectors. Henri Loyrette’s 1991 Degas monograph and Carol Armstrong’s 1991 analysis further cemented its scholarly significance. Everett Fahy (1991) highlighted it as a selected acquisition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Linda Nochlin (1992) offered a critical perspective, suggesting the presence of mothers in such scenes might imply social commentary on the dancers’ vulnerability. Louisine W. Havemeyer’s memoirs were re-edited in 1993, reiterating the acquisition details and Payne’s purchase price. Susan Alyson Stein (1993) noted Durand-Ruel’s initial recommendation to the Havemeyers. Rebecca A. Rabinow (1993) recounted Payne’s refusal to lend it to a suffrage benefit exhibition. Henri Loyrette’s 1993 Degas book provided further analysis and color illustration. Marilyn R. Brown (1994) and Richard Thomson (1995) referenced it in broader discussions of Degas’s art and themes. Katharine Baetjer (1995) included it in a Metropolitan Museum summary catalog. Ruth Berson’s 1996 “Documentation” project identified it as no. II-37 in the 2nd Impressionist exhibition. Lillian Schacherl (1997) included it in a study of Degas’s dancers. Rebecca A. Rabinow (2000) discussed its display in the 1921 “Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Paintings” exhibition at the Met. Richard Shone (2002) mentioned it in the context of the Janice H. Levin Collection. Jill DeVonyar and Richard Kendall’s 2002 exhibition catalog “Degas and the Dance” extensively analyzed “The Dance Class,” tentatively placing its setting within the Paris Opera House.
Jill DeVonyar and Richard Kendall (2002) also linked a dancer’s feet sketch to figures in the painting. John Richardson (2002) featured it in Vanity Fair. Stephen May (2003) highlighted it in Art & Antiques. Maria Teresa Benedetti (2004) included it in an Italian exhibition catalog. Petra ten-Doesschate Chu (2006) discussed it in a broader survey of 19th-century European art. Christie’s 2006 auction catalog noted a period photograph of the painting likely taken between 1874 and 1875. Alastair Macaulay (2008) reviewed Degas’s ballet depictions in the New York Times. Jane Kinsman (2008) and Michael Pantazzi (2008) contributed to a National Gallery of Australia exhibition catalog. Colin B. Bailey (2009) mentioned it in the context of the Annenberg Collection. Elizabeth Cowling (2010) referenced it in a Picasso-Degas exhibition catalog. Richard Kendall and Jill DeVonyar (2011) suggested René De Gas photographed the painting in 1874–75. Christian Berger (2014) analyzed repetition and experimentation in Degas’s work. Kathryn Calley Galitz (2016) featured it in a Metropolitan Museum masterpiece paintings catalog. Jill DeVonyar (2017) further discussed it in a Fitzwilliam Museum exhibition catalog. Richard Brilliant (2019) included it in an exhibition catalog on Boldini and fashion. Henri Loyrette (2019) extensively examined it in a “Degas at the Opera” exhibition catalog. Leïla Jarbouai (2019) also contributed to the same catalog. “Works in the Exhibition” (2020) and Laura D. Corey and Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen (2020) mentioned it in a Met exhibition catalog commemorating the museum’s 150th anniversary. Theodore Reff’s 2020 edition of Degas’s letters provided comprehensive notes, solidifying the timeline of commission and acquisition. Degas: Dance, Politics and Society (2021) featured it in a São Paulo exhibition catalog. Anne Distel (2022) questioned its actual exhibition in the 1874 Impressionist show. Colin B. Bailey (2022) in New York Review of Books acknowledged Degas’s “compulsive perfectionist” nature, a trait evident in the meticulous detail of “The Dance Class.”
Through this extensive bibliography, “The Dance Class” by Edgar Degas emerges not just as a painting, but as a subject of ongoing art historical inquiry and appreciation. From its initial commission and exhibition to its current status as a masterpiece at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, its journey is marked by critical debate, evolving interpretations, and enduring admiration for Degas’s masterful depiction of the ballet world. The wealth of scholarly attention dedicated to “The Dance Class Degas” underscores its significance within Impressionism and the broader canon of Western art history.
