Little Dancer of Fourteen Years
Degas's wax sculpture of a young ballet student sparked debate.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Edgar Degas began work on *The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer* around 1880. The sculpture shows Marie van Goethem, a Belgian teenager who was training at the Paris Opera Ballet school.
The figure stands at about two-thirds life size. Degas made the original from wax, which was an unusual material for sculpture at the time. When it was shown in 1881, the piece wore a real bodice, tutu, ballet slippers, and a wig made of human hair. Everything except the hair, ribbon, and tutu was coated in wax. Today, at least 28 bronze copies of the sculpture exist in museums and galleries worldwide. After Degas died, his family hired the Hébrard foundry to produce these replicas. The tutus on the bronze versions differ from one museum to another.
What exactly went on between Degas and Marie van Goethem is still debated. A nude version of the statue exists and is displayed beside the original 1881 wax at the National Gallery in Washington, DC. Audiences at the time reacted badly to the implied nudity of the young model, suggested by the real, removable clothing. Still, no clear evidence ever proved Degas had a sexual relationship with her. Realistic wax figures with actual hair and clothing had been common in religious, folk, and fine art for centuries before Degas made his *Little Dancer*.
The dancer’s arms are held tight, and her legs and feet are set in a ballet position close to a resting fourth position. The pose feels tense—it shows a ballerina being drilled through her exercises, not posing sweetly. Her face is twisted; viewers thought Degas meant to make her ugly, but it could also be read as the face of an awkward, sickly teenager forced into something she does not want to do.
When *La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans* appeared at the Sixth Impressionist Exhibition in Paris in 1881, opinions were split. Joris-Karl Huysmans called it “the first truly modern attempt at sculpture I know.” Other critics were horrified. One compared the dancer to a monkey and a Mexica. Paul Mantz described her as the “flower of precocious depravity,” with a face “marked by the hateful promise of every vice” and “bearing the signs of a profoundly heinous character.” Some critics linked the piece to older art, perhaps because it sat in a glass case like classical sculptures at the Louvre, and because it wore a wig and clothes.
After Degas’s death, his heirs—his brother’s and sister’s
- artist
- Edgar Degas
- model
- Marie van Goethem
- nationality
- Belgian (model)
- field
- Sculpture
- medium
- Wax, later bronze
- created
- c. 1880
- known_for
- First truly modern attempt at sculpture (per Joris-Karl Huysmans)
Lore & Background
The sculpture is two-thirds life size and was originally sculpted in wax, an unusual choice of medium for the time. When exhibited in 1881, it was dressed in a real bodice, tutu, ballet slippers, and a wig of human hair; all but the hair, ribbon, and tutu were coated in wax. The exact relationship between Marie van Goethem and Edgar Degas is a matter of debate. Although the public reacted negatively to the nudity of Degas' young model, as implied by his statue's real and removable clothing, Degas was never conclusively in a sexual relationship. Realistic wax figures with real hair and real clothes had been popular in religious, folk, and fine arts for centuries before Degas created his Little Dancer.
Reader's Guide
The Little Dancer of Fourteen Years holds significance as a pioneering modern sculpture that challenged conventional notions of beauty and artistic material. Its mixed reception at the 1881 Sixth Impressionist Exhibition—ranging from Joris-Karl Huysmans calling it 'the first truly modern attempt at sculpture I know' to critics comparing the dancer to a monkey and a Mexica—reflects the tensions of the era. The sculpture's legacy extends through numerous bronze casts, scholarly accounts, ballets, documentaries, and stage musicals, including a 2014 Kennedy Center musical and a 2019 reworked version titled Marie, Dancing Still. Its appearance in films and television series, such as Malice (1993) and The Gilded Age (2022), underscores its enduring cultural presence. The work also raises unresolved questions about the artist-model relationship and the ethics of representation.
Did You Know?
- The sculpture was originally sculpted in wax, an unusual choice of medium for the time.
- At least 28 bronze casts exist in museums and galleries worldwide.
- A pre-1903 plaster recording the original pose was rediscovered and is now in a private collection in the United States.
- One copy was sold for £13,257,250 ($19,077,250) at Sotheby's on 3 February 2009.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Little Dancer of Fourteen Years and who made it?
It is a sculpture created around 1880 by Edgar Degas, depicting a young ballet student in a natural, mid-rehearsal pose. The figure is based on Marie van Goethem, a Belgian teenager who trained at the Paris Opera Ballet school.
What material is Little Dancer of Fourteen Years made from?
Degas originally sculpted the figure in wax, an unusual medium for sculpture at the time, and dressed it in a real bodice, tutu, slippers, and a human-hair wig. At least 28 bronze casts were later produced and now sit in museums and galleries around the world.
Why did Little Dancer of Fourteen Years spark controversy when it was shown?
Unveiled at the 1881 Salon, the piece drew debate because it presented a minor in such a lifelike, intimate way—complete with actual costume and hair. Viewers found the realism unsettling and questioned the propriety of displaying a young dancer's body so candidly.
How large is Little Dancer of Fourteen Years?
The figure stands at roughly two-thirds of a real person's height, giving it a natural, approachable scale rather than the towering presence typical of public monuments.
Who is the real person behind Little Dancer of Fourteen Years?
The model is Marie van Goethem, a Belgian teenager who was a student at the Paris Opera Ballet school in Paris. Degas chose her as the reference for the sculpture, capturing her as a working trainee rather than a staged performer.
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