Conserving Degas

[@Kayizcray]

imagine seeing a sculpture when you were a child and it having enough of an impact on you that you remembered it many years later, and then GETTING TO WORK ON CONSERVING IT as an adult. crazy

[@slydoll7877]

I saw this sculpture when it toured...in Liverpool in the 1980s and it certainly stayed with me. I was about the same age as the dancer, 14...and I well remember her skirt and ribbon.

[@angieCity90]

The newer skirt fits the sculpture so much better. Also I loved that the original one was preserved as well

[@FelipeSantos-sw4kk]

Angelica C the new skirt gave a more balanced layout to statue. I liked it.

[@IrishAnnie]

kayizcray I think it was meant to be.

[@Darealanimator]

Hey guys just figured out from my grandmother Edgar degas is my great great grandfather ❤🎉

[@eviesakura9057]

The skirt never made sense to me that it was so flat and unlike any of his other tutus in his paintings. So im very happy that we get to see a skirt that actually makes sense and brings the statue to it’s original beauty

[@julietteprice7175]

Evie Sakura but that was the idea. It was dirty and flat and shows the tattered ballet aspects which was the point of the sculpture

[@WEYffles]

My teacher told us that the model was a very poor girl that was close to selling her body for money, until the sculptor found her and decided to pay her so she could model instead. She was not a ballerina in fact.

[@christa526]

@@julietteprice7175 YES YES YES!

[@bngr_bngr]

@@WEYfflesactually her parent paid for her to go to ballet school. She needed money when her father died.

[@catnipsoup3641]

Thank you for fixing her, she looks 100 times better now in her new skirt.

[@redlantern3371]

With such thought, care and sensitivity, you have brought Marie back to life. Beautiful job, you should be proud of your work.

[@projectsofadreamer6655]

I love the choices that were made on going more according to the time period, and also. I think the skirt helps bring out the life of sculpture.

[@bringbackbeatles]

As someone else commented, I can’t imagine how amazing it must be, as an adult, to work on a piece of art that was so impactful on you as a child. I have to say that he did an amazing job. It didn’t look right before. Proportions were off. It wasn’t historically accurate. It wasn’t representative of Degas. Now it is all of the above. Perfect color and fabric choice. Couldn’t be better.

[@definitelynotarobotbeepboo9190]

wow the new skirt looks amazing, i think how degas would have imagined her

[@hollygolightly8048]

Such a thoughtful, careful conservation. Love that Mr. Petersen places the old tutu in a preservation box for future conservators to view.

[@kpopahjussi6379]

My absolute favorite sculpture. I would be in tears if I got to see her in real life. You made her even prettier. Thank you.

[@sarahb95]

Oh man me too! I love this little dancer ❤

[@suelawson7273]

Same! 💜

[@dawn5227]

I've seen this sculpture in person it's an incredible piece. I literally just stood and studied it for 30 minutes. It's remained my favourite since I just sew it in pictures. It has an almost alive feeling to it.

[@reneecarter6702]

This version is just absolutely gorgeous, I adore the shape and color. Well done.

[@heddadybvadskog-nebb5603]

I wrote a paper on la petite danseuse de quatorze ans when I was 14. We were supposed to be given an artist by our teacher and write about their work. I remembered being 5 and watching a documentary on, among others, Degas with my grandma and I requested him as my artist. I was the only one who requested someone hahaha. I poured my little heart into that paper and I was the only one who got a top grade. In my research process I fell in love with la petite danseuse de quatorze ans and I had to struggle not to make my paper into just a fangirl page. I remember reading that the owners of the sculptures were responsible for her tutu and I was really curious as to how why anyone needed to be responsible. Thank you so much for this video and for showing me why! I'm 18 now and my goal is to see any of the bronze sculptures of her before I turn 20!

[@loosilu]

Hello Hedda! Your story is magical. Covid messed up everyone's plans. What is your goal now?

[@lisat2247]

This is a gorgeous conservation! The one at the MFA (I also grew up near Boston, and coincidentally ended up working at the MFA for several years doing archival work) disturbed me as a child, too. It's wild how much of a difference that skirt makes. It looks so much more period appropriate.

[@SandyRiverBlue]

I love that this is a living sculpture in a way that almost no other sculpture can be.

[@charlotte.4929]

The best skirt so far. Fantastic job, it's so cohesive!

[@MaggieSkellie]

this is so precious!! she really looks like a dancer now :) very cute & harmonious tutu

[@j.adanherrera1800]

Amazing job with the new skirt. Dega would be proud of how his sculpture looks like now.

[@wonderwend]

It now looks 'right'

[@HBADGERBRAD]

This new shirt is perfect. I’m not sure why they made her look like a street urchin before. She’s a dancer and a vision of beauty, not a dirty street walker. Thank you for changing the skirt in a much more flattering way that makes her into the lovely little dancer she is.

[@Sunshine-bh8ki]

I never new it was not made in bronze. Pls tell him he did a beautiful job on the skirt.

[@Kat-yq6vw]

The volume he chose to add really brought her to life. She looks like shes distracted in dance class. How her hands press on the back of the skirt really shows off her posture better, and how laxed she looks. Even if this isn’t the case with it, she looks so much more lively

[@franzgrabe1]

the best she has looked in decades!! Well done....expert craftsmanship!

[@fourtwentea7078]

does he have to justify particular changes when conserving these things or do they just sort of let him do his thing? I love the restoration of this though!!

[@slydoll7877]

I think he's in a position of trust due to his experience so he would have the final say. He's more like an artistic director as well as a conservator.

[@camrynhamme]

I think the history of the sculpture itself has the skirt being changed about every 20 years. So it comes to a point where the current skirt is so degraded and not longer lends itself to the sculpture itself it needs to be replaced to be viewed properly, or may begin to take away from the piece as a whole. The original skirt is preserved if they museum ever decides to have the original put back on.

[@AsAboveISoBelow]

He may even have a group he talks with beforehand, and it's pretty obvious he's doing/done research on how it should look. I think he did a great job as well, you can tell the sculpture was designed for a fuller skirt like the one he added, as the top piece stuck out too far over the skirt that was started with.

[@fierysoul1357]

Fourtwentea Your profile picture is A1 👌👌

[@fourtwentea7078]

Fiery Soul absolutely appreciate it 😔🤟

[@gwuannapolis]

I have seen seven of the Little Dancers throughout the world. I am still looking to see the remaining ones open to the public. I need to revisit the one in the Met to see how beautiful it is after the conservation.

[@MxALot-fp9yt]

I absolutely love how much you appreciate your work

[@TatsukiHashida]

Vanessa oh my gaaaaad

[@theherd5830]

Please do more videos with this gentleman..He is fascinating and such an expert.

[@CallieMasters5000]

Somewhere in storage is a box of all her old skirts, so they can look at these in the future when needed.

[@Zoltarman]

I hope they do it pretty soon .

[@avivat3010]

Beautifully chosen and constructed. Thank you!

[@Gretchen-vh9xt]

The skirt looks wonderful.

[@davidlipschitz6422]

Wow! This outcome embodies the great skill, knowledge and humility of a world class restorer. I unsung that Degas himself would have been pleased. It's really beautiful.

[@2minobssesion4u]

I saw this sculpture about two years ago thru a school field trip, dega impacted me in ways I could never have imagined with his art. I'm so happy this sculpture is being cared for in such a way

[@TheKathy]

By adding length to the skirt, it's not only historically more accurate; but there is added movement in the sculpture as the skirt seems to pivot on the hip bone of the ballerina. It's beautiful!

[@bettinarossi7908]

Really lovely and considerate tutu replacement. I agree with the sentiment expressed.💖

[@azurieone3002]

I love the newly constructed tutu, it looks beautiful & more natural than what was originally there.

[@kittykat490]

I absolutely adore this... the bronze statue was made by Degas' heirs, who made their personal decisions on how it would look... and each conservator who has replaced the skirts, has gotten to make their own decisions about the skirt... I like that idea, of it not being simply a strict reproduction of the same thing every time, but instead each step of its preservation reflects every pair of hands that has worked on it as each person makes choices on how to preserve it (within reason, of course they all keep some idea of the original and how to keep it in line with the aesthetic, but it seems like each conservator has gotten to have some freedom of choice in HOW to achieve that)... a living work! Super cool, it must be so fun and such an honor to get to do this.

[@5secsofspainx]

i love the length!!! it looks so much better !!

[@josephinemartin]

Wow the finnished skirt looks incredible!!

[@jimbo91262]

I LOVE what you did with it. It's so much more balanced. Bravo!!!

[@catcameron5039]

As a kid there was a small Rodin bust tucked away in a quiet hallway, in our city's small local gallery. She was very striking. This reminded me of that, when the Conservator mentioned remembering seeing her as a kid.

[@sadiecherish9509]

Beautiful job, it looks like it has come to life with the lovely restoration you have done!

[@Lora2788]

He's done a fantastic job with this! Beautiful work

[@HOPE19]

What a great improvement! It looks so right after the revision. Well Done!

[@ilikeoptter]

Bravo! Glenn Peterson, The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer, has never looked lovelier.

[@mackenzeesmith4779]

The transformation takes my breath away! She was made for that skirt.

[@carlycain2845]

Absolutely nailed it. Definitely didn’t think of Degas when I saw the first skirt.

[@holasarrita]

He absolutely nailed it!

[@ericamcghie8476]

I am sure lots of people will have very strong opinions on this. I don’t want to go threw for that reason and because I had a very strong reaction. I’m not sure what came together right for me as you put her together but I quietly began to cry by the end of the video. She’s beautiful. The way her arms slightly change how the skirt is falling is perfect. Thank you for caring about her.

[@TheRacingWind]

It's stunning! I'm putting this on my list to see when I return to NYC in a few weeks. I've seen the Little Dancer in Paris and while it was fulfilling a childhood dream, her skirt was positively dreadful. I can't wait to see this rendition with such a beautiful new addition.

[@star2705]

Oh my god, the work you did here is just absolutely stunning! It looks so much better with the more full skirt to show the movement of the piece! I love the way that it juts out in front, following the line of action from the bodice, and the way that it bunches a little under her hands, as if she was a real little girl, and she's just drawn her hands back across her skirt!

[@kimclarke5018]

Fabulous. Coloring of skirt pure perfection

[@michellegarcia9434]

Seen this in person one of my favorites

[@MD-wk3gj]

I saw a cast of The Little-Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer in Western MA a few years ago. Her pride and strength moved me like no other art. It’s an amazing piece.

[@gailbolton4891]

You've made a lovely and proper skirt for our little ballerina. Thank you.

[@san_-ii6xs]

Exactly 3:58 : Monday morning at work.

[@AlaskanCookie]

I saw one in Paris and wondered why the skirt was so short. It didn’t look right. I love how you went historically accurate and the length is how it should be. She looks lovely.

[@patriciaorellana6469]

The Dancer is my favorite piece of art and is the first art work that ever made me feel like I’ve always been told how art work should

[@Divertedflight]

Huge improvement. The angle the skirt flares out from the stiff fullness, matchs with the angle from not only the small section of the dress below the waist above it, but the pointed leg below. It looks so right. In comparison, the previous tutu looked like a limp dirty bell, and I'm sure less true to the artist's original vision.

[@SuperBenette]

Its so beautifull, the skirt fits perfectly, the previous one looked too rough and too short. Thanks for your perfect touch to this wonderfull piece of art. Be blessed.

[@seir323]

We have one of these statues at the VMFA, and omgoodness. I feel like a big deal was made out of the new skirt on our piece, which on the website is definitely more airy and softer in color than the one that was at the met. But it's not nearly as beautiful as the final work here!! As a kid I was always fascinated and troubled by this sculpture, and the contrasts were a big part of why. So I'm so glad you got to work on this piece, and when you put the new skirt on her, I gasped. It's so much more like she was meant to be. Thank you, and I'll have to see your work sometime in person.

[@TotallyMH729TsMH]

i remember visiting D'Orsay and seeing this sculpture! ♥ Seeing its tutu being restored is just!!! and you did an amazing job ♥♥♥

[@nowastenikki]

I saw this back in the spring and I was in awe. It was so cool to it in person after seeing this video and learning the facts!

[@eps3154]

This is amazing... I'm not an artist, historian or anything but my first impression is that it does look very harmonious... flows quite well, just the right amount of green.. Well done!!

[@judibrake6508]

The restoration is beautiful! I love the new skirt, it looks stunning.

[@tomvalveede6808]

This is So Much Better!!! Thank you for correcting the previous horrible skirt! Yours 'reads" Perfection, it is 100% Winner!! ♥️♥️♥️🌹🌹🌹🎉🎉🎉😃

[@morpho3079]

i was lucky enough to see this sculpture when it toured in Houston. it was so lovely😭

[@medickaisu]

fabulous. Great decisions and choices. Impressive work

[@Iamyinkadavies]

She's being dignified yet again!!!!! Welldone sir

[@danihalling9734]

This kind of made me emotional! What a beautiful job he did! That skirt was literally made for her!✨

[@danieladeutsch1708]

Sir, you are a real master! What a beautiful job you have made!

[@IrishAnnie]

It’s very proportionate and graceful. Great job!

[@mdinunzio7610]

Amazing what a difference the new skirt has made. It really brought the sculpture to life. Degas would be proud, I would think

[@UsernamedJory]

Bravo ! I've seen the original and happy that you gave it back its life.

[@juanimolinamiguel9421]

Maravilloso trabajo,me hubiera encantado estar con usted en ese momento tan mágico gracias por conservar algo tan bello

[@Amacott99]

Absolutely fascinating. What beautiful attention to detail!

[@debbiejohnson2789]

That gave me tears. I have an art background and treasure trips to the museums. I saw this sculpture at the National Gallery in D C. I took pictures of it from every angle..

[@debbiejohnson2789]

Although the new skirt looks so much better, I’m not sure I like the idea of tampering with the art of a great master.

[@AK00777]

I got a legitimate WOW moment. That skirt is perfection. Bravo!

[@jessiestarkweather3973]

Man, I tried to see this sculpture when I was there in April...this explains the absence.

[@Imdootfr]

You did an amazing job with making the skirt flutter like that it’s just so original to what it should seemingly be looking like ✨

[@peterfraser2137]

Such an interesting man. The 'something didn't look right', his adverse reaction is so interesting, as even a kid. He knew.

[@francoandres6825]

BEAUTIFUL SKIRT....ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL SKIRT....So happy to see this skirt.

[@gleelee2008]

what a fantastic job bringing this wonderful sculpture to its rightful glory!

[@brynn9670]

she looked incredibly dreary and sad before.... this has brought a beautiful new life to her! i love it

[@Rakhilya]

Degas would be happy to see the new skirt. It looks just right👌 great job! Love everything about it on the sculpture

[@astridvanwanum]

That’s just lovely. So much care and attention to detail ❤️

[@melaniesanders4187]

Beautiful. I love this sculpture and would love to see this one, perhaps she'll come to the UK one day, please 💕

[@emmajanechampley1178]

Beautifully done, many congratulations!

[@anonymousgirl27]

i have no idea why but the way he says tutu makes me happy

[@themarquis336]

Absolutely gorgeous research, design and restoration work.

[@SG-1-GRC]

Well done! I really like the fact the skirt is now more authentic to the period and fits the look of the artists other portrayals of contemporary dancers. Ps. I suppose many other people have pointed out the similar pose to that of 'Fearless Girl'. I'm probably ignorant and the one peice is probably well known to have inspired the other.

[@sharondallum962]

Simply beautifully and artfully done. Thank you❤

[@Echoxxx]

The skirt is gorgeous and harmonious, you should be very proud of your work!

[@kendraanspaugh8783]

What a fun job you have, Glenn!

[@giuliac4344]

it looks so stunning.. and it kind of makes me emotional that this girl who likely used to be quite poor is getting a brand new skirt lovingly crafted for her after so many years

[@electrojones]

This was really fascinating. A thoughtful upgrade, to be sure.

[@brianwhite1816]

Definitely the very best version ❤

[@yolandag5756]

The new skirt makes the sculpture that much more life-like and beautiful

[@khaledmahamedbouachat8990]

WOW, amazing work, it's like it was brought back to life

[@scarletfluerr]

It's a lovely piece and the new skirts fits beautifully.

[@alexisbailey1163]

Oh I’m in love. This skirt is so fitting, appropriate, and beautiful. 🥰

[@piatekdiana]

Final version looks really amazing!

[@MsOAWR]

He did a great job, that looks perfect