Edgar Degas, a master of Impressionism, frequently visited the Paris opera house, not just as an audience member but also backstage and in the dance studio, gaining access through a friend in the orchestra. This allowed him to closely observe ballerinas, a favorite subject of his from the 1870s. In this 1874 oil on canvas, the artist transports us to a moment after an arduous ballet class. The pupils are visibly exhausted, captured in natural, unposed gestures – stretching, adjusting their hair or clothing, or even scratching their backs, seemingly oblivious to their stern teacher, Jules Perrot. Degas was less interested in the glamour of the stage performance and more in the demanding training and quiet moments of rehearsal. The artwork’s slightly raised viewpoint creates a dramatic diagonal perspective across the studio’s floorboards, a detail famously noted by Paul Valéry. This parquet, often moistened to prevent slips, served as the dancers' crucial tool, with the ballet master marking time upon it with his baton. This intimate glimpse reveals the rigorous discipline behind the art.