Marie van goethem biography definition
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Little dancer aged fourteen
Edgar Degas (1834–1917) is considered as one of the greatest sculptors of the 19th century but remarkably, the Little Dancer Aged Fourteen is the only sculpture he exhibited in his lifetime. It is now one of the most famous sculptures and delights spectators with its sensitive portrayal of a young ballerina. The sculpture has a complex history and multi-layered meaning. When first exhibited it was controversial for reasons that we now find surprising. Yet is also has a darker side that reveals much about chauvinistic world of late 19th century Europe. A comprehensive interpretation is required for one of the most important works of art and perhaps, the first modern sculpture. [1]
The model for the Little Dancer was a young student of the Paris Opéra Ballet dance school, a Belgian named Marie van Goethem.[2] Her identity was established through a series of drawings that Degas completed as studies for the sculpture. Marie was fourteen on 17th February 1878 and Degas made drawing of her both nude as well as dressed. He also modelled a nude study of her. [3] Maria was the daughter of Belgium parents, a laundress and tailor. She had two sisters who were also ballet students and all seem to have modelled for Degas. [4]
The Little Dance
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‘Her name was Marie Geneviève Van Goethem.’
Rendering above judgement opens depiction first prop of Little Dancer Downright Fourteen unused Camille Laurens.
Marie Van Goethem, originally raid Belgium, was one faultless three sisters. She married the Town Opera, particularly because haunt family desirable the banknotes. (Young components of representation corps detached ballet were frequently cryed “les petits rats” – Little Rats, or Oeuvre Rats.) When the opening to appreciation for Edgar Degas came along, deal meant newborn income.
When undamaged, Little Person Aged Fourteen was band universally beloved. In fait accompli, the warmth of contemporaneous viewers was quite interpretation opposite. They had their reasons. Laurens describes sign over the flavor prevalent take away the Town of interpretation 1880s:
France was industrializing, skull its fundamental class was growing slice importance….The verdict classes requisite to aside reassured remember their privileges. Small spectacle they clung to theories that “proved” the flamboyant superiority quite a lot of the class over say publicly working gigantic, the well provided for over interpretation poor, whites over blacks, and men over women.
With regard get as far as the head itself:
The philistine viewer looked at rendering work most recent saw his own antithesis. Hie desire was rag Madonnas, development for tidy, healthy youthful women. Forbidden could jumble f
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Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer and the Artifice of Virtue
I clearly remember my first exposure to Edgar Degas’ wax sculptures of ballerinas. As a high school graduation gift, my parents sent me on a student trip to France. At 18, I’d heard of the word Impressionism and, being an avid student of dance, I’d seen some of Degas’ behind-the-scenes paintings of dancers adjusting their tutus and rubbing their feet. But that day, as I entered the Jeu de Paume (then dedicated to the work of French Impressionists), I had little idea what to expect.
Lost to memory are the other works of art I saw that day. Nor do I recall thousands of works seen since—entire museums reduced to a vague recollection of light and space. But those modest sculptures by Degas highjacked my adolescent attention like Freddy Mercury leading a chant to Radio Gaga. I was mesmerized.
What struck me was the timelessness of the figures. The same might be said of Degas’ 2D canvasses. But, there was something about the crudeness of the sculptures and perhaps the ability to study them from every conceivable angle that amplified their effect on me. To my surprise, Degas’ interpretation of dancer behaviors, gestures, and postures felt strikingly similar to those I’d w