Color lithograph, heavy vellum paper 45 x 34 cm (composition), 70 x 50 cm (sheet), limited edition, numbered in pencil 45/300, signed on plate p.g. Degas, facsimile signature "Degas" p.d. under composition; publisher 'sdrystamp: Donald Art Co inc. NY 1962 l.d., on the back hologram "verification of authenticity".
Edgar Degas,owner of Hilaire-Germain-Edgar de Gas - FrenchImpressionist painter andsculptor.Hisinventive composition, excellent line andability to depict figures in motioncontributedto his recognition as one of thegreatest painters of thelate 19th century.
The painting "Two Dancers at the Bar" is one of the many works by Edgar Degas that depict ballet dancers. Degas was fascinated by ballet and often used this motif in hiswork, andcreated many similar works, including "Dancers" from 1896,whichis in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Degas was famous for his unusual perspectiveshots,whichallowedhimtocapture thelife of a modern city and itsinhabitants. In his works,he oftenexplored the theme of ballet,showingdancers inperformance, practice or backstage at the theater. His paintings of dancersarecharacterized by anintense colorpalette and dynamicuse of lines, giving thema sense of movement and life.
Degas often used pastel, which allowed him to achieve softyetintensecolors. His worksare revered for their subtle capture of moments, emotions and the atmosphere of the ballet world, aswell as theirinnovativeapproach to composition and form.
The painting "Dancers at the Barre" perfectly illustrates hisability toexpressemotionthrough medium and color,surpassing the rationalityof subject matter and composition. The motif of the dancer with herlegraised on the barappears in hisworkas early asthe mid 1870s and continuesuntilaround 1900.
Edgar Degas' works are scattered around the world in many famous museums and galleries:Muséed'Orsay inParishasone of thelargest collections of Degas' works, the Metropolitan Museum of Art. in New York and the Cleveland Museum of Art. His workscanalsobefound in private collections and art auctionsaround theworld .
The mostexpensiveEdgar Degas paintingto be sold is "Danseuse au repos" from 1879. Itreacheda price of$37millionat an auction at Sotheby's inNew Yorkin 2008. This eventset asalesrecordforworks by this artist.
