Beginning about 1870, Degas explored in his art the lives of dancers at the ballet of the Paris Opera - on stage, in rehearsal, and backstage in private moments. Here, the artist took his drawing of a seated dancer (at right) and added pieces of paper to create a larger composition, incorporating the figure of another dancer in a red shawl and the large expanse of floor in front of her. Degas left his notations - perhaps measurements of the added strips - visible at right.