Little Dancer Aged Fourteen: The True Story Behind Degas's

Little Dancer Aged Fourteen: The True Story Behind Degas's Masterpiece

This absorbing, heartfelt work uncovers the story of the real dancer behind Degasâ€™s now-iconic sculpture, shedding light on the struggles of late nineteenth-century Parisian life.

She is famous throughout the world, but how many know her name? You can admire her figure in Washington, Paris, London, New York, Dresden, or Copenhagen, but where is her grave? We know only her age, fourteen, and the work that she didâ€”because it was already grueling work, at an age when children today are sent to school. In the 1880s, she danced as a â€œlittle ratâ€ at the Paris Opera, and what is often a dream for young girls now wasnâ€™t a dream for her. She was fired after several years of intense labor; the director had had enough of her repeated absences. She had been working another job, even two, because the few pennies the Opera paid werenâ€™t enough to keep her and her family fed. She was a model, posing for painters or sculptorsâ€”among them Edgar Degas.
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Drawing on a wealth of historical material as well as her own love of ballet and personal experiences of loss, Camille Laurens presents a compelling, compassionate portrait of Marie van Goethem and the world she inhabited that shows the importance of those who have traditionally been overlooked in the study of art.
Country USA
Manufacturer Other Press
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2018-11-20
Format Kindle eBook

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Other Press
Binding	Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate	2018-11-20
Format	Kindle eBook

Little Dancer Aged Fourteen: The True Story Behind Degas's Masterpiece

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