AI on Art / Art on AI -- September 10th, 2025

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"Spectre of Degas" can refer to two main things: the concept of Edgar Degas' influence or the presence of his illness on his work, and the haunting or uncanny effect his artwork, perhaps particularly his famous sculpture of a young dancer, can have on viewers. 

The term highlights the mysterious, spectral quality, a sense of being present yet intangible.

The "Spectre" of Degas' Illness 

• A lingering presence

Degas suffered from a hereditary retinal disease that progressively affected his vision, which is thought to have influenced both his life and art.

• Not a literal ghost

In this context, "spectre" refers to the enduring impact of his illness on his artistic style and themes, rather than a literal ghost.

The "Spectre" as an artistic effect

• Ethereal quality

The term can also describe the unsettling or magical feeling that Degas' artworks can inspire, particularly his depictions of ballet dancers. 

Degas’ famous sculpture The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer (La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans) is sometimes described as a spectre because she [it?] exists "somewhere between her world and ours," a combination of real elements and artistic artistry that seems both lifelike and otherworldly. 

• Exploration of private moments:

Degas’ sculptures, like his paintings, often capture intimate, private moments, creating a sense of empathy and revealing a human "spectre" within the art. 

La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans, a two-thirds life-size figure, was originally crafted in wax by Edgar Degas, an unusual medium for its time, and displayed in 1881 adorned with a real bodice, tutu, ballet slippers, and a human hair wig, all but the hair, ribbon, and tutu coated in wax.

After Degas' death, the Hébrard foundry produced at least 28 bronze casts, now housed in various museums and galleries worldwide, each with varying tutus. The relationship between Degas and the sculpture’s model, Marie van Goethem, remains debated, with no conclusive evidence of a sexual connection.

A nude version of the statue is displayed alongside the original wax figure at the National Gallery in Washington, DC, despite public criticism of the nudity at the time. Realistic wax figures with real hair and clothes were common in religious, folk, and fine arts before Degas’ work.

The sculpture depicts a ballerina in a tense fourth-position stance, her face contorted, suggesting discomfort or reluctance rather than grace, challenging traditional notions of beauty.