Review #1 (Positive)

Done in 1878, Edgar Degas’ classic painting titled “L’Etoile” or, in English, “The Star” is a crucial piece in the puzzle that is impressionistic painting. The color palette is a subdued mixture of pale blues, greens, and browns, giving the painting a cool, almost “danceable” overall feel. The “star” herself is the focal center of the piece. Degas’ impeccable use of shading puts the spotlight directly on the dancer as she moves effortlessly across the stage. The piece has a flow and a sense of movement that can be felt almost immediately by the viewer. The background of the painting is beautifully ambiguous. At first glance, it seems that the dancer is simply going out onto the stage from behind the stage curtains, where her fellow dancers wait to join her. But upon closer inspection, she appears to be dancing on the floor of a cave, with the other dancers huddled in the shadows of the cave walls. In the upper right corner, you can see a cold, wintery scene. Is it the open entrance to the cave, or simply a painted set piece made specifically for the ballet performance? This question can be left up to the individual viewer, and is part of the alluring mystery of the piece. Despite the attention to detail and rushed brush strokes throughout, there is one emotion that specifically comes to mind when viewing this piece: calm. However one chooses to interpret this great piece of artwork, there’s no denying that its beauty will both overwhelm and inspire you.