A pale-skinned girl wearing an arctic-blue ballet costume stands looking at us and almost fills this vertical painting. The scene is painted with blended strokes, giving it a soft, almost blurry look. In pale pink ballet slippers, she stands with her feet in fifth position, so the toes are turned out while her feet are almost parallel, the heel of the front foot touching the toes of the other. Her body faces our left, and she turns her head to look at us with blue eyes. She has delicate, dark brows, rosy cheeks, and full pink lips. Her long honey-brown hair is tied with a sky-blue ribbon like a headband. The fitted bodice of her pale blue dress has a lapis-blue bow at the chest, and the short sleeves tie around the sides of her shoulders. A sash around her middle is also lapis blue. The knee-length tutu has layers of light fabric, and seems to fly up behind her. She wears a black choker necklace and a black bracelet on each wrist. She holds a white object, perhaps a lacy handkerchief, in her right hand at her waist. Her other arm, closer to us, hangs down by her side as she touches the tutu. The background is painted with strokes of spring, sage, and pine green with touches of teal blue. The artist signed and dated the lower right, “A. Renoir. 74.”

Auguste Renoir, The Dancer, 1874, oil on canvas, Widener Collection, 1942.9.72

Exhibition Overview—Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment

Wednesday, December 11, 2024
11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
East Building Auditorium

Talks
In-person

How did Impressionism begin?

Discover the origins of the French art movement in a new look at the radical 1874 exhibition considered the birth of modern painting. We’ll orient you to the themes and highlights of Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment before you see it. Presented by interpretation manager Jennifer Riddell.

No registration required; seating on first-come basis.

Additional Dates

October 26
December 11
January 15