Unlike the numerous dancers that populate Edgar Degas' well-loved paintings, the body of this womanly figure--originally modeled by the artist in terra cotta--trades delicate wispiness for palpable volume and mass. While her skillfully balanced pose suggests the same poise and strength of the dancers in his paintings, the shape of her body is rather like Degas' pastel studies of women bathing; she has a more generous, curving torso and sturdy limbs. In his trademark Impressionist style, Degas chose to capture her momentary action of beginning to pull on a stocking, with the graceful pointing foot recalling a ballet shoe. Degas carefully observed the model's body and chose to emphasize the overall grace of the form in motion. The unfinished surface of the sculpture emphasizes Degas's process and skill in preserving a fleeting moment of time with a quick artistic hand.