Degas at the Races: Sculpture

X-radiograph image of Horse Balking (Horse Clearing an Obstacle), Conservation Laboratory, National Gallery of Art, Washington previous next back to sculpture

X-rays of the interior of Horse Balking show that Degas incorporated an unusual, rigid support with a slide that could then be adjusted to raise the chest or the barrel of the horse to the appropriate height. With this armature, Degas increased the range and flexibility with which he worked to synthesize the variety of actions combined in this piece.