Degas is the Impressionist painter of dancers. Much of his artwork has a ballet theme. During his time, he would spend time backstage at the Paris Opera, observing dancers. The Ballet Class was painted sometime before 1891, as it was purchased at this time by Mary Cassatt and sent to her brother in Pennsylvania. After it was purchased, Degas made changes to the oil on canvas, adding a girl reading a paper while sitting in a wood en chair to the painting