You buy from the studio that paints it — no gallery markup, no reseller margin. Final quote depends on size, frame and destination.
Price by canvas size
Every The Dance Class we paint is made to order, so the price tracks the canvas size and the amount of brushwork involved. These are the sizes our customers order most:
| Size (inches) | Size (cm) | Estimated price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 × 20 in | 40 × 50 cm | $369 | A small wall, a gallery group, an office |
| 24 × 32 in | 60 × 80 cm | $649 | Bedroom, hallway, above a console |
| 35 × 47 in | 90 × 120 cm | $1,099 | Above a sofa or bed, living room focal wall |
| 47 × 63 in | 120 × 160 cm | $1,499 | Large wall, open-plan room, hospitality |
Estimates only — the final quote depends on your exact size, frame and shipping destination. Framing and shipping are quoted separately. Duties and import taxes are the buyer's responsibility (DAP).
Tell us your size and frame — we reply with an exact quote, usually within the hour.
💬 Get a The Dance Class Quote on WhatsAppWhy the tulle skirts decide whether this painting works
The tutus are what make the picture, and they are painted as thin, milky layers — pale blue-green over warm grey, dragged thinly so the ground shows through and the fabric reads as translucent rather than white. The walls and floor are deliberately empty and thinly painted, which is what pushes the group forward.
Prints lose the translucency first: the skirts go solid white, the ribbons turn flat pink, and the whole canvas becomes a poster about ballet rather than a painting about light through fabric. Hand-painted in thin layers, the skirts keep their transparency and the empty walls stay atmospheric.
There is a test we encourage buyers to use on any "oil painting" they are offered: run a fingernail very gently across the surface. A hand-painted canvas feels like terrain. A print feels like glass.
The painting itself
Degas was given access to the rehearsal rooms at the Opéra on the rue Le Peletier from the early 1870s. He painted more than half his output on ballet subjects, but almost always backstage — the rehearsal, the wait, the stretch — because that is where the unguarded poses were. This canvas is about 85 × 75 cm, a nearly square format that suits a narrow wall.
The difficulty for a copyist is the viewpoint: the floor is tilted up and the figures are seen from slightly above, so the perspective has to be set before any figure is painted. Our painters lay the room in first, then place the group, which is the only order that keeps the space convincing.
How our painters reproduce it
Our studio is in Dafen Oil Painting Village, Shenzhen — the centre of hand-painted oil reproduction for more than thirty years. A The Dance Class here is not traced, projected or transferred. The painter works freehand from a high-resolution reference, in layers:
- Composition and ground. The canvas is toned and the main forms laid out in a thin underpainting, matching the original proportions to your chosen size.
- Colour build-up. The palette is mixed in oil, not acrylic — only oil gives the same depth, slow blending and the slightly translucent glow the original depends on.
- Impasto and surface passes. The signature strokes go on last, loaded with paint, following the direction of the original's brushwork. This is the slowest and most skilful stage.
- Drying and inspection. Layered oil needs days to set properly. We let it. Then the finished canvas is checked against the reference for colour, composition and stroke character.
Where it hangs best
Not a performance — the waiting. Painted from a corner of the rehearsal room. Rooms our customers choose most often:
- Bedroom — the soft tulle palette is quiet enough to live with
- Study or reading corner — a contemplative subject
- Dance studio or dressing room — the obvious home for it
- Hospitality — hotel rooms, spa changing areas, boutique corridors
Framing
Choose gold to echo the original's warmth, matte black for a contemporary room, walnut for a traditional interior, or no frame at all as a gallery-wrap canvas ready to hang. Frames are quoted separately and packed with corner protection.
How ordering works
- Tell us the painting, size and frame. WhatsApp is fastest — include a wall photo if you want sizing advice.
- Get an exact quote. Usually within the hour, with the timeline confirmed in writing.
- 70% deposit starts the painting. Paid by bank transfer, PayPal, credit card or Wise.
- We send photographs of the finished painting. You review it before anything ships. If something clearly does not match your order notes, tell us and we adjust it.
- Pay the 30% balance, then we ship. Tracked worldwide courier, rolled in a rigid tube or crated if framed.
FAQ
Is this hand-painted or printed?
100% hand-painted in oil on artist canvas by a studio painter in Dafen. No printing, no transfer, no giclée. You can feel the brushwork on the surface.
How much does it cost?
Est. $369–$1499 depending on canvas size, from 16 × 20 in up to 47 × 63 in. Frame and shipping quoted separately.
Can I order a size that is not on the list?
Yes — any size. The painter works freehand on a blank canvas, so we can also crop the composition slightly to fit your wall proportions.
How do I approve it before shipping?
We send photographs of the finished painting. You approve first, then pay the 30% balance and we ship. If something clearly does not match your order notes, tell us and we adjust it before it leaves.
How long does it take?
Most take 2–4 weeks depending on size and the studio queue. Layered oil needs proper drying time. The timeline is confirmed in writing before any deposit.
Who pays import duty?
Shipping is worldwide and tracked, typically DHL or FedEx, quoted separately. Import duties and taxes in your country are the buyer's responsibility (DAP).
Ready to commission a real The Dance Class? Send the size and frame — quote back within the hour.
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