Peculiarities of E. Dega's creative method in the interpretation of the theme “Paris opera ballet”
Authors:   Kosygin Russian State University, Portnova Tatyana V. 
Published: February 2023

The article considers methodological approaches to the interpretation of the dance subject on the example of the famous French artist E. Degas (1834-1917) in the context of understanding the school of the Paris Opera Ballet, which is the center of French cultural life and brings new forms of dialogue in the morphological sphere of interaction of related arts. The unflagging interest of researchers to the problems of the works of E. Degas throughout the history of his study, both at the level of a single country, and in the context of world artistic culture determines the undoubted relevance of our narrow topic. The works of Edouard Degas are devoted to the study of the artworks of Russian, but mainly the foreign art critics, however, they do not consider in an in-depth section of ballet themes, paying it not enough attention, despite the fact that it is the first significant experience and even a kind of experiment in the world of fine arts. The aim of the article is to trace the creative activity and special interest of E. Degas in the subject of dance. To reveal and analyze the artist's creative method on exemplary works. To prove the importance of his graphic and pictorial works in the popularization of ballet as art. To work out, clarify and supplement the methodological aspects of approaches to the interpretation of the ballet theme and trends of its development in the creative process by analyzing the specific works of E. Degas which are in museum and private collections. The complex analysis from the viewpoint of art history and theater studies enables us to reveal the genre fusion reflected in the stylistics of the romantic ballet epoch, refracted in the everyday life of dancers at rehearsals and in dance classes, as portrayed by the artist. The author refers to various works of E. Degas, which convey the peculiarities of his impressionistic creative method, accurately capturing the specifics of the French school of classical ballet. The author analyzes his method, which in many respects differs from other impressionist masters, who depicted landscape views and life of Paris and its suburbs in open spaces. It is a fragmentary and at the same time large, unrehearsed, casually seen world of dance in its most varied manifestations, enclosed within the walls of the theater. The paper shows that the searching creative thinking peculiar to Edgar Degas introduces new ways of observing and depicting in the sketches and finished works different and simultaneously canonical poses and movements of the dancers in solitary figures and ensemble groups conditioned by the specificity of classical choreography. In spite of one common theme, the artist resolves different creative compositional and coloristic tasks in depicting the backstage theatrical life. On the basis of the interdisciplinary nature of the subject the author engages with a wide range of issues, covering not only methodological, but also substantive aspects (names of the depicted, composition and dance technique, performing manner, rehearsal atmosphere, ballet costumes, interior architecture of the theater, etc.). Based on a study of a number of works, the author formulates the main visual characteristics of the ballet artistic images and their unique conceptual embodiment. The possible ways of using such artistic experience in the practice of ballet theater are outlined.