Dancer bowing
Executed around 1875–1877, this Dancer Bowing reflects Edgar Degas’s enduring interest in the world of dance and his close observation of the body in motion. Using charcoal heightened with white, the artist captures the precise moment when the ballerina bows before the audience, in a gesture that is at once graceful, controlled and deeply human. The lively handling of the line conveys the spontaneity of the execution while giving the figure a remarkable sense of presence. Rather than idealising the dancer, Degas seeks to render with accuracy the tension of her body, her delicate balance and the effort concealed beneath the elegance of her bow. The white highlights catch the light and emphasise certain volumes, further enhancing the impression of movement. This study is fully representative of the artist’s investigations during the 1870s into the attitudes, gestures and fleeting moments of the world of ballet.
Presumed Portrait of Countess de Castiglione by Degas, Discovered in Italy
A major discovery that adds to our knowledge of Degas' Italian period. This important painting created in 1859 was previously unpublished.
The result of two years of historical, technical and scientific research, this Presumed Portrait of Countess de Castiglione, a secret agent in service of Cavour, was sent to France to seduce Napoleon III in order to rally France to the cause of Italian unity. The identification of the subject is based on physical and psychological analyses and on numerous photographs by Pierson, her personal photographer, as well as Napoleon III's. A personal, intimate and diplomatic story that resurfaces with this new work by Degas.
In Praise of Makeup, pastel and gouache highlights
This pastel and gouache highlights executed around 1879 is a variation of the monotype "Le Client sérieux" at the National Gallery of Canada. The work was acquired by Catalan collector Julian Bastinos during his stay in Paris between 1872 and 1900, and experienced a turbulent history: confiscated by the Spanish State in 1934 and returned in 1940.
The authentication is based on pigment analysis, signature study, and solid comparisons with other brothel scenes by Degas.
Portrait after the Antique
This early drawing by Edgar Degas, executed around 1860, comes from the Degas estate and belongs to the artist’s formative years. Drawn in graphite pencil on grey-green paper, it reflects a rigorous study of volume and posture.
The work suggests a personal interpretation of a painting or a sculpture, likely observed by Degas during his stay in Italy between 1856 and 1860. The title Portrait of a Theatrical Scene implies a figure conceived as an actor, integrated into an almost stage-like construction.
The influence of classical antiquity is evident in the sobriety of the handling and the precision of the line.
This drawing already foreshadows Degas’s lasting interest in theatricality and the staging of the body.
Woman drying herself after the bath
This late work by Edgar Degas, Woman Drying Herself after the Bath (circa 1898), belongs to his emblematic series of women at their toilette, a central theme in his oeuvre. Executed in graphite pencil, charcoal, and pastel highlights on brown paper, it stands out for the richness of its textures and the energy of the line.
The female figure, captured in an intimate and unidealized gesture, reflects Degas’s modern, analytical gaze on the human body. The tightly framed composition heightens the sense of proximity and immediacy.
Dedicated to Madame Charpentier, the drawing bears witness to the artist’s close ties with the influential artistic and intellectual circle of the rue de Grenelle. This sheet resonates with other variations on the same theme recorded in the catalogue raisonné, notably MS 3174 and MS 4095.