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French artist Edgar Degas鈥� first ballerina painting, the monumental Portrait of Mademoiselle Eug茅nie Fiocre in the Ballet "La Source," is now on view at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Ballerinas were a subject that was to preoccupy the artist for the remainder of his career. The oil on canvas, one of Degas鈥� first masterpieces, is from the collection of the Brooklyn Museum. It measures 51-1/2 by 57-1/8 inches. The work was painted for the 1868 Salon de Paris. Degas combined for the first time in his work the narrative content, large scale, and complexity of history painting with the representation of modern life鈥攊n this instance, the ballet. Degas (1834-1917) depicts the famous ballerina in a rehearsal break for an elaborate production with exotic costumes and sets that also included onstage bodies of water and live horses. Though mostly forgotten today, it was so highly regarded in its time that it was chosen as one of the works performed at the gala opening of the magnificent Paris Opera House in 1875. The long and complicated Orientalist fantasy concerned the many adventures of a Georgian princess, played by Mlle. Fiocre. 鈥淭his loan is most appropriate to VMFA鈥檚 Paul Mellon Collection not only because of our marvelous assemblage of many of his best paintings and sculptures, but also because VMFA鈥橲 unique wax, Horse at a Trough鈥擠egas鈥� earliest known sculpture鈥攎ost likely served as a miniature model for the horse in the painting,鈥� says Dr. Mitchell Merling, VMFA鈥檚 Paul Mellon Curator and head of the department of European art. 鈥淚n the VMFA gallery, the wax of Horse at a Trough is displayed in a case adjacent to the painting so that they are easy to compare,鈥� Merling says. Horse at a Trough stands 7-3/4 inches tall and was executed circa 1866-68. In the same case, visitors will see a Degas bronze of Horse at a Trough cast in about 1919-21. It stands 5-1/2 inches tall. 鈥淭his small exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see a remarkable painting in the context of VMFA鈥檚 exceptional collection of waxes, sculptures and paintings by Degas. It allows an exploration of the artist鈥檚 fascination with both the human and animal form and an opportunity for a fuller understanding of the artist鈥檚 unique and innovative contributions to French art,鈥� Merling says. In an adjacent gallery, another ballet-related standout from the VMFA collection of Degas鈥� works, the well-known Little Dancer Aged Fourteen (1881), is displayed prominently. The bronze sculpture, which stands 38-1/2 inches tall, is dressed in a net tutu and a satin hair ribbon.