Human Emotions

Artist: Edgar Dega

Title: Dega's Little Dancer (or Little Dancer Aged Fourteen)

Date: 1878-1881

Medium: sculpture

Provenance: National Gallery of Art, Washington

Source: www.nga.gov

Describe: a teenage ballerina, with the ballet slippers and tutu. In a ballet position. She has her hair back in a low ponytail. Made in a metal that makes the girl have a copper look.

Analyze: Has an Organic form shaping into a human figure. Texture seems bumpy at the touch yet smooth if you were to graze your hand upon the body of the ballerina. The value of the sculpture changes based on the light directed at it. But it does seem that the areas where the light hits the surface of the wax, it makes the value of the sculpture brighter and darkens the shadowed areas. There seems to be a lot of contrast created on the figure creating contour on the body. The movement is centered around the face of the girl, how she brings her head up.

Interpret: Based on how Edgar Dega created this wax sculpture and her posture, I think that it represents independence. Not only does she represent a young ballerina, but the way her head is tilted upwards and her shoulders are pulled back bringing her chest outwards, makes a strong character that she portrays.

Judge: Dega has made a visually interesting sculpture. Not only did he pull my eyes towards his art compared to other works I have seen, but has me question the meaning behind it; wanting me to know what his true intentions were when creating it. It really pushes towards independence and it makes me feel empowered to do things to make the world a better place.