A recent examination of Edgar Degas’ painting “Dance Exercises in the Foyer” has revealed it to be one of his earliest ballet pictures, a work he revisited and reworked for over 30 years. This challenges the long-held belief that it was a late-career piece.

The re-evaluation began during a conservation review at the Glyptoteket museum, where the painting resides. Curator Line Clausen Pedersen initiated a thorough investigation, leading to a collaboration with experts at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

Scientific analyses, including X-rays, spectrographic analysis, and microscopy, were conducted. These revealed that the canvas was likely purchased around 1870, indicating the painting’s early origin. A previously unnoticed stamp on the back of the canvas confirmed this dating.

The examination also uncovered numerous layers of paint, up to 14 in some areas, suggesting Degas repeatedly altered the composition over decades. Experts at the Getty Museum were even able to isolate a figure that had been painted over.

Degas, though associated with the Impressionists, preferred working in his studio from sketches rather than painting outdoors. Dance was a central theme in his art, with approximately half of his 3,000 works featuring dancers.

The foyer depicted in “Dance Exercises in the Foyer” is that of the Le Peletier opera house in Paris, which burned down in 1873. The fact that Degas painted this scene while the building was still standing adds significance to the artwork.

The Glyptoteket is presenting this research in an exhibition, showcasing the various versions of the painting and the hidden details uncovered through forensic methods. The exhibition also includes a presentation of the Glyptoteket’s entire Degas collection. The exhibition “Degas’ Obsession” runs until November 29, 2026, at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen.