Ballerina Dancer Museum Desk Paperweight – Degas Ballet Danseuse Art Glass Dome 3W

Museum Desk Paperweight with Degas’s Ballerina Dancer

This graceful museum desk paperweight features Edgar Degas’s Ballerina Dancer (Ballet Danseuse, 1877). A young dancer stretches her arms outward and lifts her gaze toward the audience, her tutu and bodice catching the bright stage light. Against the darker background, she almost glows like an angel emerging from the wings.

Beneath the smooth glass dome, the dancer’s white tutu, soft green accents, and rich blue tones are gently magnified. The curved surface enhances Degas’s brushwork and the play of light across her dress. This museum art paperweight brings a moment of performance to your desk, piano, or vanity table, capturing the poise and drama of the ballet stage.

Each paperweight comes in an elegant presentation box with sateen lining, ready for gift giving. It is a thoughtful present for ballet students, dance teachers, and anyone who loves Degas’s world of dancers and rehearsal rooms. As part of the Parastone Museum Gift Collection, it transforms a beloved Impressionist painting into a small, usable keepsake.

• Glass dome desk paperweight with Degas ballerina image beneath clear glass.
• Based on Ballet Danseuse (1877) by Edgar Degas (1834–1917).
• Measures approx. 3 in W × 3 in L × 1.5 in H.
• Weighs about 0.9 lbs, ideal for everyday desk use.
• Comes in an elegant presentation box with sateen lining.
• Part of the Parastone Museum Gift Collection. PN PDEG1.

Degas, the Ballet, and a World of Movement

Edgar Degas (1834–1917) is best known for his dancers, milliners, and scenes of everyday Paris. Although he helped organize the first exhibition of the Impressionists, he preferred to think of himself as a realist, closely observing posture, gesture, and light. The ballet of the Paris Opéra became one of his favorite subjects.

Degas often captured dancers at transitional moments—stretching, waiting, stepping into or out of the spotlight. In works like Ballet Danseuse, the stage light isolates the performer, making her both a real young woman and a symbol of grace and discipline. On this Degas paperweight, that glow is preserved under glass, turning a fleeting stage moment into something you can hold.

About the Artist: Edgar Degas

Born into a well-off Parisian family, Degas had the freedom to devote himself entirely to art. He trained in drawing and studied Old Master techniques, yet he chose modern subjects: dancers, racehorses, café scenes, and women at work. His compositions often feel “accidental,” with unexpected angles borrowed from photography and Japanese prints.

Degas’s dancers are not just pretty costumes—they reveal the hard work, rehearsal, and concentration behind each performance. This desk paperweight echoes that spirit, honoring both the beauty and the effort of ballet.

Pair with Other Degas Ballet Pieces

This museum desk paperweight pairs beautifully with other Degas-inspired sculptures and gifts. You can create a small ballet-themed display on a shelf, dresser, or piano top.

• Explore our full Degas collection: Degas Museum Gifts Collection
• Pair with our iconic ballerina sculpture: Little Dancer of Fourteen Years with Fabric Skirt (also available in other sizes)
• Add another dancer in a more introspective pose: L’Attente (Waiting) Statue by Degas

Together, these pieces create a mini Degas gallery that celebrates the discipline, drama, and elegance of ballet.

Curator’s Note

A good desk object can feel like a tiny stage. This museum desk paperweight offers a quiet curtain call each time you glance at it. It makes a wonderful gift for dancers, choreographers, teachers, or anyone who finds inspiration in music, motion, and the courage to step into the light.