Study for the Fourteen Year Old Little Dancer

"Study for the Fourteen Year Old Little Dancer" is a preliminary sketch and study by Edgar Degas, created around 1880, that captures the young dancer Marie van Goethem, a student at the Paris Opera Ballet. The work initially portrayed her with a chalk and pastel technique, emphasizing realistic details and delicate textures. Degas’s interest in capturing movement and everyday life reflects elements of Impressionism, although he favored a mix of realism and innovative approaches. This study laid the groundwork for his famous sculpture, which examines notions of youth and artist's observation.