The Pink Dancers, Before the Ballet

Degas loved the ballet so much that he created about 1,500 works in a variety of media depicting all aspects of dance: preparation, rehearsal, waiting in the wings, and the performance itself. He was experimenting with new techniques and revitalizing the old ones, such as pastel, gouache, and even distemper, but his pastel ballet scenes are some of the most recognized masterpieces in art history.