Degas and the Little Dancer: Art Connection to Literature

When looking at art as a young person, children are often most interested in the story behind the art.  Laurence Anholt has created a storybook for children that offers a glimpse behind the scenes of Degas’ most famous sculpture, The Little Dancer.  Marie hoped to be a famous ballerina, but her hopes were crushed when her family suffered severe economic difficulties, forcing Marie to model at the ballet school for Edgar Degas instead of dance.  It was at this time, the sculpture of The Little Dancer began to emerge, while at the same time, Marie finds sympathy for the ill-tempered Degas.  Marie wanted to become the most famous dancer in the world.  She did so through the artist’s work, not the way she had hoped, and the sculpture of her currently resides in the Louvre Museum.

Teachers and parents can certainly connect an art activity to this discussion about French Impressionism and the story behind the art.  Another area of interest to children is the interest Degas had in painting race horses and ballerinas.  He was artistically challenged by the rapid, changing movements of horses and dancers.  Showing students examples of these types of paintings is also beneficial to their understanding of the artist.

Encourage your child or student to create a sculpture of his or her own from air dry clay or polymer clay.  Be sure to include fabrics and ribbons to attach to the sculpture, as Degas did – a technique that was unique for the time period. 

A deeper connection between literature and art is created when combined.  In addition, allowing for hands-on art creation, by the student, forges a greater appreciation of the arts.