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Looking for portrait oil painting with real brushwork? Ballet Rehearsal is reproduced by hand in oils on artist-grade canvas after Edgar Degas. The result is a piece of impressionist oil painting wall decor that anchors a dining room and rewards a closer look.
circa 1875
Gouache and pastel
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, United States.
Degas participates in the Modern practice of being a flaneur when he observes the lives, both personal and public, of ballerinas, but as an artist choosing a specific subject matter to zero in and focus on, he is distinguishing himself stylistically through his subject choice. Whereas Monet applied his talents both to people and water lilies, church buildings and haystacks, Degas is more selective, and it is because he can narrow in on a microcosm by doing so.
His ballerina series show not just the world of stage performers of the latter half of the 19th century; it portrays on a more subliminal level the condition of women in the late Victorian Age. Most ballerinas at this time were young, orphaned girls who acquired employment and pay only via the patronage of older men, men who would often require sexual favors from these helpless minors. Many of them were in fact hired as prostitutes alongside their dancing careers, and Degas would have known this quite well. We see evidence of the fact in his paintings when a tall, dark, male figure standing along the sidelines of the scene, looming, ominous, menacing. Painted more as eerie ghost-like figures than as responsible theater owners, these men remain in the shadows, concealed and anonymous, but their presence pervades each of Degas' works with an undeniable aura of haunting disquiet. Suddenly the ballerinas become an object of our sympathy not just for the long, thankless hours spent in exhausting physical strain but for their very situational states. But the pathos to their condition is presented here with more sarcasm and social critique than poignant sincerity.
These subjects are sad, and the artist wants to present them with the object of generating sympathy in the heart of the viewer; but also Degas took pleasure in criticizing the establishment, mocking the hypocrisy of Victorian society's supposed "domesticity" and propriety. Artists like Edgar Degas made it their mission to expose the darker side of the Modern scene through paintings such as these.
Our artists reproduce this figurative composition in oil on canvas by hand, preserving the tonal range that makes portrait oil painting so sought after for a dining room.
Trained artists work in stages — underpainting, mid-tones, highlights, and detail — using traditional oils on canvas. Because nothing is printed, every hand painted oil painting has its own subtle texture and depth.
For dining room wall art that does not feel generic, a painted figurative canvas is hard to beat. It is a popular portrait oil painting pick for new homeowners and a durable alternative to seasonal poster art.
Order Ballet Rehearsal as a hand painted oil painting on canvas and add lasting impressionist character to your dining room. Custom sizes, a digital proof before dispatch, and secure worldwide shipping are included.
| Size | Price |
|---|---|
| 20 X 24 in | $77.98 |
| 24 X 36 in | $120.48 |
| 30 X 40 in | $166.48 |
| 36 X 48 in | $221.48 |
| 48 X 72 in | $430.48 |
The sizes shown are the reproduction canvas sizes we paint to order. The dimensions given in a work's description refer to the original artwork and will differ from the sizes offered here. Not sure? Read the size guide or e-mail us.
Free on orders over $60; a flat $5 below that. Dispatched in 1–2 business days; 30 days to send it back. Full policy.
Every canvas is painted by hand in oils on artist-grade stretched canvas, with an extra blank border left for framing. How to care for your painting.
Measurements are on the size guide, or e-mail [email protected] and we reply within one business day.
