Artmink

French Impressionist “After Edgar Degas” Ballet Dancer Photomechanical Print on Paper

By: After Edgar Degas (1834–1917); publisher unknown

Style: Impressionism (French, ballet studies)

Origin: United States (after a French original)

Materials: Photomechanical print (offset lithograph/collotype) on paper, matted and framed under glass in a gilt metal/wood frame

Age: Circa 1960–1980

Condition: Good (paper toning and mat burn; possible light foxing; not examined out of frame)

Value: $60–$150 at auction

Maker's Marks / Writing: Printed “Degas” at lower right within the image area; no visible pencil signature, edition number, blindstamp, or publisher credit.

Date: 2025-08-24 21:39:59.331377

Description:

Framed reproduction print after Edgar Degas depicting a young ballerina bending to adjust her slipper. Executed in a sepia/charcoal tonal range with white heightening, the image has a printed rectangular border and a printed “Degas” signature at lower right. Presented under glass in a simple gilt frame with a cream/tan mat that shows age toning. The work is a photomechanical reproduction (offset lithograph or collotype) of a well-known Degas dancer study rather than an original drawing or hand-pulled print.

Curator Questions

Curated by Jade

Assessment:

This is a decorative, mid-20th-century reproduction after a Degas dancer drawing. Key indicators are the uniform printed tonalities, the printed rectangular image border, and the mechanically printed “Degas” at lower right with no pencil signature, edition number, plate mark, or publisher’s blindstamp. The mat shows acid burn and the sheet shows general toning—consistent with older mass-market framed prints. Original Degas drawings, pastels, or hand-pulled prints would carry distinct paper characteristics, handling marks, and authenticated provenance, and would be extraordinarily valuable. A word about fakes.. Degas-related items are heavily reproduced; printed signatures and vague “museum” framing are common—assume reproduction unless supported by rock-solid documentation and technical evidence.

Individual Images:

whole item

Provenance:

No provenance provided.

Condition:

Good (paper toning and mat burn; possible light foxing; not examined out of frame)

Identification Score: 85%

The subject, pose, and draftsmanship clearly correspond to Degas’s dancer studies, and the lower-right printed “Degas” matches common reproduction formats. However, without publisher details we classify it broadly as a photomechanical reproduction after Degas.

Authenticity Score: 10%

The printed signature, lack of plate mark or blindstamp, commercial frame/mat, and overall look of a photomechanical process point strongly to a modern reproduction rather than an original Degas work or an early authorized print. Originals would have extensive documentation and would not typically appear with this presentation.

Image Memory Note

Single framed print shown upright on a carpeted floor. Simple narrow gilt frame with inner beaded line; glazing present with reflections. Wide tan/cream mat with visible overall toning (brownish cast), especially along the perimeter (mat burn). Within the mat window, the image shows a ballerina in three-quarter view bending forward to adjust her slipper; sketchy lines and washes in sepia/gray with white highlights on the tutu. A thin printed rectangular border encloses the image. At the lower right inside the image area appears the word “Degas” in a small printed typeface/plate signature (not pencil). No edition number, plate mark, or blindstamp visible. No other inscriptions on the front. Paper shows even toning; faint darker smudges or foxing specks near lower margin inside the mat. No tears or creases visible through glass. Background includes shelving and another framed work partially visible to the right.

Keywords

After Edgar Degas, French Impressionism, ballet dancer, photomechanical print, offset lithograph, collotype, reproduction, 20th century, United States, France, framed art

Report ID:  : rrre2j

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