Edgar Degas

EDGAR DEGAS (Paris, 1834 - 1917)
"La petite danseuse de 14 ans".
Bronze with nuanced brown patina.
Lost wax casting.
Original wax model created in 1881.
Authorized posthumous edition.
Signed "Degas" on the right slipper.
With stamp of the Guastini Foundry.
Numbered VIII/IX.
Provenance: private collection.
This copy is registered in the database of the Degas Committee. This record is destined to the future realization of the Catalogue Raisonné of Degas' sculptures.
The Degas Committee contractually authorized the reduction in bronze to a height of 70 cm for a total edition of 38 bronzes, individually stamped: among them, 9 bronzes marked from I/IX to IX/IX (including the present piece).
A certificate from the Degas Committee, dated August 1, 2022, will be given to the purchaser.
Measurements: 70 cm (height) + 3 x 35 x 35 cm (base).

Edgar Degas conceived "La petite danseuse de 14 ans" as one of the most radical and advanced works of his time. The piece we present is a limited edition in bronze, cast posthumously from the original wax model made by the artist around 1880-1881. While the original wax sculpture is currently preserved in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, these bronze editions have allowed Degas' revolutionary approach to sculptural realism to be disseminated and preserved.

When Degas presented the original version at the Sixth Impressionist Exhibition in Paris in 1881, it caused a real scandal. In contrast to the academic tradition of idealized sculptures, Degas showed a raw, direct and profoundly realistic figure.

The critical reception was extremely harsh. Some contemporaries called it "ugly", others compared it to an animal or exotic figures. These reactions are evidence of the extent to which the public was not prepared to face the less than idealized social reality of the young dancers of the Paris Opera, subjected to an implacable physical and moral discipline.

From the formal point of view, the figure adopts a ballet position in fourth position, but far from any conventional grace: the chin is raised with a defiant gesture, the hands are tense intertwined behind the back and the body conveys fatigue and determination.

After the artist's death, more than 150 wax and clay sculptures, unknown to the public during his lifetime, were found in his studio. La Petite Danseuse was the only sculpture that Degas decided to show during his lifetime, underlining its exceptional character within his production. The bronze editions made later - such as the one preserved in the Musée d'Orsay or the one shown here - sought to preserve the textures, volumes and visual impact of the original model as faithfully as possible.

With a height of 70 cm, the sculpture has an imposing presence that combines fragility and firmness. This work is not only an icon of Degas' production, but also one of the fundamental milestones in the evolution of modern sculpture.