Marie in Fourth Position: The Story of Degas' "The Little Dancer" (Picture Books) - Softcover

Grade 1-3?Marie van Goethem was a "rat" girl in the chorus of the ballet of the Paris Opera when she was immortalized by Edgar Degas in a sculpture entitled "The Little Dancer." In this fictionalized account, Marie is shown as a shy, plain girl who models for the painter and sculptor to provide money for her struggling parents. Becoming immersed in the work, she poses for hours on end, until Degas is satisfied. Through her modeling, Marie's dancing improves immeasurably, and the artist's sketches are transformed into the famous sculpture. A footnote at the end of the book explains that Marie was a real girl, but acknowledges the fact that very little is known about her life. It is not even known if she ever saw the sculpture that made her famous. This gives an added drama to a beautifully written story that focuses not only on Degas's work, but also the suffering Marie endured for both the sculptor and her ballet. Illustrated with oil paintings strikingly reminiscent of those done by Degas himself, this book is a true testament to the joys and the hard work involved in the creative process. Reminiscent of both the Provensens' The Glorious Flight (Viking, 1983) and Emily Arnold McCully's Mirette on the High Wire (Putnam, 1992) in its ability to bring a historical incident to life, Marie in Fourth Position has the added advantage of giving insight into the life of the artist. Overall, a fine job.?Melissa Hudak, North Suburban District Library, Roscoe, IL
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Marie in Fourth Position reads like fiction but is actually a nonfiction story of a poor ballet girl who posed for French painter Degas. As Degas struggles with the young dancer's poses and his art in reproducing her, readers are treated to a dual focus on artist and subject. -- Midwest Book Review