During the 15th century in France and Italy, ballet began as aristocratic entertainment, performed by noble amateurs who were typically men. Not having strayed too far from its origins, contemporary ballet is associated with elegance, grace, and high class. However, in the late 1880s, the perception of the ballerina had soured when ballet took a voyeuristic turn.
During this era, French artist Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas’s (Edgar Degas) fascination with light, fabric, and movement led him to capture the lives of these ballerinas in his art. Many of these young girls came from working-class or impoverished backgrounds as they sought to support their families, but ballet was a demanding profession. Wealthy male patrons and donors would go backstage, seeking out these girls for sexual favours, which was also encouraged by the girls’ families. A relationship with a patron meant a ticket to financial freedom, and for many of the dancers was not something they were able to refuse.
References
Fiore, J. (2018). The Sordid Truth behind Degas’s Ballet Dancers. [online] Artsy. Available at: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-sordid-truth-degass-ballet-dancers.
Montmartre Artists’ Studios. (n.d.). Degas’ Dancers Paintings: the Ballerinas at The Paris Opera. [online] Available at: https://montmartrefootsteps.com/degas-ballerina-paintings/.
Segrest, E. (2024). Degas’ Ballerinas. [online] ArtRKL. Available at: https://artrkl.com/blogs/news/degas-ballerinas.
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