Degas and the Little Dancer
Fiona Bruce and Philip Mould investigate a painting believed by some to be a work by Edgar Hilaire Degas. Will they bring its owner life-changing news?
Inheriting a work of art by one of the great Impressionist masters should be a joy, but for Patrick Rice it was a mixed blessing. His small oil painting depicting a ballet dancer on stage has always been thought to be a work by Edgar Hilaire Degas. Unfortunately, since the 1970s, experts have not agreed. The painting, which could be worth around half-a-million pounds if it is a Degas, is currently worth £200. In a last ditch attempt to discover the truth, Patrick and his son Jonathan ask Fiona Bruce and Philip Mould to handle the case.
Although bought as a Degas from a reputable London dealer in 1945 by Patrick's father, the painting, titled Danseuse Bleue et Contrebasses, failed to make the official record of Degas, the catalogue raisonne. As far as auction houses and experts are concerned, if it's not in the catalogue then it's not by Degas, and cannot be sold as such. Fiona and Philip follow the painting back through time to try to prove that it was created by one of France's greatest painters. It is a journey that takes them to Paris, Hamburg and Berlin. Could the picture be a fake created, like many others, amidst the chaos of World War Two? Or will the scholars responsible for authentification bring Patrick and his family life-changing news?
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Clips
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Degas: Proving the pose
Duration: 02:52
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Web exclusive: Parisian ballet warm-up room
Duration: 00:53
Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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00:01Jerry Goldsmith
Theme from Basic Instinct
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00:12The City of Prague Philharmonic, Crouch End Festival Chorus
(Placeholder)
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00:18Pavel Dreser & Gareth Williams
La Valse D'amelie
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00:39Yann Tiersen
7 Pm
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00:40Paul Bateman, City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Waltz
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00:43City of Prague Philharmonic / Raine
Powder
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00:49Bonobo
Eyesdown (feat. Andreya Triana)
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Philip Mould |
| Presenter | Fiona Bruce |
| Producer | Robert Murphy |
| Director | Robert Murphy |
| Series Producer | Simon Shaw |
Broadcasts
Sun 16 Sep 2012 18:30- Sat 1 Dec 2012 02:00
- Sun 2 Aug 2015 20:00±«Óãtv One except Northern Ireland
- Mon 21 Jan 2019 20:00
- Tue 22 Jan 2019 02:00
- Mon 7 Jun 2021 20:00
- Tue 8 Jun 2021 02:00
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The Art of Artists
The stories behind the great artists, and their iconic works of art.
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Get in touch if you think you have a lost masterpiece.