Art History – Edgar Degas

Suitable for: 5-7 years (Key stage 1), 7-11 years (Key stage 2), 11-14 years (Key stage 3)

Available braille grades: Grade 1, Grade 2

This educational resource fact book plus story, is designed to provide access to a selection of works by the French Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. Gentle audio guides describe his much loved works or art including The Little Dancer. This resource may support other subjects across the National Curriculum and could be used in the class room. Also good for home-schooling, homework-help, project work, independent learning and reading for pleasure.

It also includes the picture book Degas and The Little Dancer, by Laurence Anholt: Marie dreams of becoming the most famous ballerina in the world, but it is hard to find enough money for lessons. At last she begins modelling for the artist Edgar Degas, well-known for his paintings of dancers and horses and for his fiery temper. When his sculpture of ‘The Little Dancer’ is finished, Marie’s dream comes true.

Listen to an audio clip

Degas carries three of his pictures painted in oils. We know they are oil paintings because they are on canvas which is fixed to wooden frames. Degas is in a hurry. In the middle of the cover is an actual photograph of Degas' most famous and much loved sculpture of The Little Dancer. The Little Dancer stands on a tall square white box, called a plinth, so that she can be seen clearly. I will tell you more of her later. Standing at the foot of the plinth is a small, brown long-haired dog. The third figure in the drawing is Marie van Goethen, the young dancer who posed for Degas, that is, modelled for him for the sculpture of The Little Dancer.

What's inside

A picture book with painted tactile pictures and braille.
A collection of raised tactile pictures.
Audio descriptions with music and sound effects in your chosen format of either CD or USB.
An A4 large print colour image pack or postcard pack.
Guidance notes for parents and teachers to help you make the most of using this book.
An ‘Articles for the Blind’ returns label for the free and convenient return of the box.

Touch to see image list

Side and front view of The Little Ballet Dancer
Combing the Hair
Edmond Duranty

Inside the picture book:
Degas
Ballet positions

Subjects

What our members say

Degas and the little dancer I very much enjoyed this collection and am a devout admirer of Ballet so I really felt so relaxed after going through this collection and the narrative was very good and made everything much easier to enjoy Janine