Edgar Degas: The Little Dancer

Overview

Edgar Degas 's bronze sculpture of a ballet dancer wearing a real tutu has become one of the most widely appreciated European works of art. But when the original tinted wax version was first exhibited in 1881 it caused consternation, with contemporary critics dubbing Degas's petite danseuse variously as "a monster' and a "flower of the gutter". This documentary reveals how Degas broke every rule in the book to create his modern masterpiece, and also tells the poignant life story of the sculpture's model.