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Edgar Degas,
The Dance Lesson, c. 1879, oil on canvas, National Gallery of
Art, Washington, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon 1995.47.6
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To
produce the Dance Lesson’s dramatically receding perspective,
Degas tilted the floor up at a striking angle and ran a broad expanse of
wall, uninterrupted except for a small notice board or mirror, to the back
corner of the room. He also positioned the dancers in a perfect diagonal,
directing the eye from the lower left to the upper right corner. The tiny
dancers in the background contribute to the illusion of deep space.
 
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