Degas, Painter of Ballerinas

April 29, 2019
From its petal-pink satin binding to its gleaming foiled title and page decorations evoking tulle and twisting ribbon curls, this introduction to Edgar Degas is squarely aimed at readers fond of a certain dance aesthetic. The froufrou design detracts from Degas’s unsentimental drawings and paintings of young dancers known as the “petits rats.” Plainspoken text (“He portrayed their gestures: leaning against a bench, stretching, rubbing their aching necks”) describes the artist’s working process, observations of the dancers, and his sympathy for their hard work, as well as how eyesight troubles led to his sculpted dance works, including the iconic “The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer.” The book closes with a short, serviceable biography and a rich selection of references, including a glossary, a list of galleries holding works by Degas, and a complete list of illustrations. Ages 8–12.

April 1, 2019

Gr 4-7-Edgar Degas (1834-1917), a towering figure of French Impressionism, is best known for his closely observed, behind-the-scenes paintings, drawings, and sculptures of Paris Opera ballerinas in classes, rehearsals, and performances. In this handsomely designed book, prepared in collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art (which holds all but two of the volume's marvelously reproduced artworks), Rubin uses clear, economical, graceful prose to describe the perfectionist master's life and career, artistic techniques and media, and painstaking approach to craft. Through narrative and art, readers meet some of his models and sympathize with aspiring young dancers coping with exhausting daily practice. Students also learn that Degas struggled for years with failing eyesight, which was the eventual impetus for his venturing into sculpture. Numerous quotes by and about Degas, and informative captions further enhance this title's portrait of both the artist and his prolific output. Ballet students and non-dancers alike will appreciate the liberal use (and definitions, via text, art, and glossary) of terminology. Elegant design flourishes include a pink-ribbon-like covering of the book's spine and illustrations throughout of toe shoe-like laces in many of the pages' margins. The excellent back matter includes notes, glossary, ballet terms, a list of where to view Degas artworks, and bibliography. VERDICT This title is highly recommended for public and school libraries. Useful for report writers, in art history units, and as supplementary fare for dance students and those preparing to attend a ballet recital and/or a Degas museum exhibit.-Carol Goldman, formerly at Queens Library, NY

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2019
A handsome exploration of an artist's love affair with ballet.Rubin returns to a much-loved topic almost two decades after her earlier Degas and the Dance (2002). She describes the artist's preference for painting in a studio as opposed to his fellow impressionists, who loved the outdoor light. How he observed the ballerinas of the Paris Opera Ballet and how he posed them are carefully explained. Rubin also pays particular attention to the various media that Degas employed, from oils to pastels to chalk. She includes information about his failing eyesight and the sculptures he created late in life. A profusion of reproductions, many full-page and all full-color (except when the originals are not), showcases the beautiful attention to detail that Degas cared about so deeply. His dancers are caught in the moment as they adjust their costumes, rehearse, or execute a step, and thoughtful captioning provides helpful interpretation. While ballet lovers will enjoy this glimpse into a 19th-century world (one painting includes Jules Perrot, a noted choreographer), art students will learn much from the exploration of techniques that Degas employed. The inclusion of two glossaries, of art terms and of ballet terms, highlights the book's balance.Not a complete biography of a painter but a noteworthy study of his most famous genre. (author's note, notes, where to see artworks by Degas, bibliography) (Biography. 9-12)

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