Actresses in Their Dressing Rooms - Edgar Degas
Archival giclée
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Description
A sophisticated etching and aquatint by Edgar Degas, capturing the quiet, private moments of performers in their dressing rooms.
This work by Edgar Degas captures a private moment within the theatrical world of late nineteenth-century Paris. Degas frequently observed the performers behind the scenes, away from the glare of the stage lights. In this etching and aquatint, the composition is divided by vertical elements that suggest the cramped, partitioned nature of dressing rooms. The artist employs a sophisticated use of tone, where the deep blacks of the aquatint create a sense of shadow and atmosphere, contrasting with the lighter, more delicate lines of the figures.
The scene depicts two figures in separate, yet adjacent, spaces. One woman is seated, attending to her hair, while the other stands in a neighbouring cubicle. The use of mirrors and screens allows Degas to manipulate the viewer's perspective, creating a layered visual experience. The textures of the curtains and the soft silhouettes of the figures demonstrate his technical mastery of printmaking. Rather than presenting a polished performance, the work offers a glimpse into the mundane reality of the theatre, focusing on the quiet, personal rituals of the performers.
Degas was a keen observer of modern life, and his interest in the theatre extended beyond the spectacle of the ballet. His prints often experiment with unconventional cropping and asymmetrical balance, techniques influenced by his study of Japanese woodblock prints. This particular piece reflects his ability to find beauty in the ordinary, using the medium of print to explore light, shadow, and the human form in a confined environment. The result is a composition that feels both intimate and detached, inviting the viewer to observe a fleeting moment of preparation before the curtain rises.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
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- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Actresses in Their Dressing Rooms - Edgar Degas
Artist Biography
Edgar Degas
More than half of his entire output depicts dancers. He became a fixture at the Paris Opera, watching from the wings and from boxes above the stage, sketching not the performance but the work behind it: the stretching, the waiting, the adjusting of shoes, the corrections from the ballet master. The backstage fatigue interested him more than the applause.
In 1881, he exhibited Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, a two-thirds life-size wax figure of Marie van Goethem, a real student at the Opera ballet school. She wore a real tutu, real ballet slippers, and a wig of human hair, all coated in wax. Critics called it repulsive. One described the girl as having a face marked by the hateful promise of every vice. Wax was a material for anatomical specimens, not art. It was the only sculpture he exhibited in his lifetime. After his death, 150 more wax figures were found in his studio, many falling apart.
His eyesight began failing during the Franco-Prussian War. By his forties he had lost central vision. By fifty-seven he could not read. The deterioration drove him from fine brushwork to bolder strokes, then to pastels, then to sculpture he could work by touch. He avoided daylight and painted under controlled artificial light. Collectors joked they should chain their Degas paintings to the wall, because he would try to take them back to rework them. He compulsively revised everything.
He disliked being called an Impressionist. He preferred Realist or Independent. He never painted outdoors, which was supposedly the whole point of the movement. Despite this, he co-founded the group, organised their exhibitions, and showed in all eight. He said: there is love and there is art and we only have one heart. He never married.
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