After forty years of living with art, Edgar Degas left us at least a thousand sketches, pastels, engravings, and oils on the theme of dance. From an early age, he preferred the behind-the-scenes of the spectacle to the grandeur of the performances.

The routine of daily practice, the sad corridors, the waiting, the suspicious love affairs unfolding behind the scenes... are images that narrate the difficult yet fragile world of 19th-century dance.

Richard Kendall, globally recognized as one of the most authoritative experts on Degas's art, introduces us to the world of backstage, which was so dear to the great Impressionist painter, and reveals a multitude of overlooked works by him.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]