Violinist, Study for "The Dance Lesson"

In the pictureOn gray-green paper, a black-haired man is seen in profile with his head bowed. He holds the violin upright, its body against his chest below his chin and its neck and scroll pointing down; drawn in reddish brown and orange pastel, it is the most vivid thing in the picture. His hand, extended to the left, is clenched as if holding the bow. White pastel adds highlights to the face, and the black clothing is roughly rubbed in with charcoal. Faint grid lines for transferring the drawing remain on the paper, and a red 'Degas' appears at lower left.

BackgroundIn the late 1870s, while painting ballet rehearsal rooms, Degas repeatedly drew the violinists who played accompaniment beside the dancers. This sheet is a study for The Dance Lesson, and the Met's record notes that it was "squared for transfer in charcoal." This is a method of dividing a study into squares in order to copy it in the same proportions onto a larger surface. The back of the sheet bears letterpress printing, so it appears to be printed paper that was reused. It measures 39.1×29.8 cm and entered the collection in 1918 through the Rogers Fund. The red signature at lower left is thought to be a stamp applied at the studio sale after Degas's death.

Puzzle tipThe red violin pieces stand out most, so gather them first and join the body to the scroll below. Next come the face with its white highlights, the black hair, and the fist extended to the left. Join the black clothing following the direction in which the charcoal was rubbed, and judge the blank gray-green paper pieces by the positions of the faint grid lines. The red lettering piece at lower left marks the corner. 48 pieces suits it.