Edgar Degas's Signatures: Essential Keys for Authentication

One of Degas' first paintings that is signed, dated, and localized where the thickness of the brushstroke dominates, which will later be found in other works by Degas. Note the distinctive shape of the R as well as the underlying canvas.

On one of Degas's most famous paintings, this clearly legible date contrasts with a signature that is lightly applied or perhaps excessively cleaned and thus partially erased. The date stands out more than the signature, suggesting it might have been enhanced, which we don't believe is the case. In any case, the shape of the D differs significantly from that of The Old Italian Woman.

Applied on paper, this signature resembles watercolor. It appears to have been absorbed by the paper, unlike oil signatures. This highlights the importance of the paper support in this case.

An oil brush signature whose graphic style is comparable to that of The Old Italian Woman, though with a noticeable difference regarding the shape of the letter D.

Discreetly applied at the bottom left, this tone-on-tone signature is barely legible. We can more clearly discern the date of 1868, contrary to the 1866 date suggested by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This brush signature stands out from the previous ones by the original shape of the D and the G, which are uncommon in Degas's work. The black signature on a beige background makes it particularly noticeable.

Clearly signed at the bottom right, this work was the first to be sold at auction in Paris on January 13, 1874, No. 18. The upper signature is partially erased, but it's the second one on the left that draws our attention due to the originality of the design of the E and the D. This signature rarely appears in Degas's work but is indeed authentic. We can reasonably assume that the style, particularly of the E, was inspired by Degas's handwritten business card (shown alongside).

The painting effectively captures the cream color of the floor and its stripes, which highlight the red signature. Here again, we note the original form of the D and the G.

Possibly executed during a stay in Normandy, this painting evokes Degas's passion for horses. This touching scene is therefore not surprising. As for the signature, it is particularly unusual and quite original. We can easily identify the E, likely inspired by Degas's business cards of that period, as well as the brown remainder which stands out perfectly against the green background. Note the spaces between the E of the first name and Degas, as well as between the name and the date. The grain of the canvas is highly visible.

The brown signature, located roughly halfway between the ironer's hand and the edge of the canvas, is barely visible. A strange signature applied to the canvas, in which only the letters D, G, and A can be barely made out, while the S is completely erased. Was this signature worn away by overly vigorous cleaning? That, at least, seems to be the logical explanation we can offer for this barely legible and decipherable signature.

This signature on canvas echoes the grey-yellow color of certain parts of the painting. Apart from the D and the g, one notes the originality of the s, the whole giving the impression of a watercolor signature.

Signed in black on panel, the painting was executed during Degas’s stay in New Orleans in late 1872 to early 1873. The signature resembles others from the same period, notable for the broad and original shape of the D, as well as that of the G and the final S.

The signature in black appears behind the backrest of the chair on which a painter's palette is placed. It resembles the signature found at the Ordrupgaard in Copenhagen, but it differs in the shape of the 'D,' which Degas often uses in various forms, without a true graphic consistency.

A famous painting, particularly for the originality of the subject’s composition, with the signature fading into the dark area at the bottom right. One will notice that the brush did not complete the D, as well as the unusual shape of the s. This is not, moreover, the only time Degas’s signature ends in this way.

The signature here is traditional. Although the painting is an oil on canvas, the signature could be mistaken for that of a pastel or a drawing, as it imitates their forms. The curved upper part of the D likely inspired the designers of the posthumous sale stamp used in 1918 and 1919.

The finesse of the signature is most certainly due to the paper on which Degas placed it, as well as the date of 1875. It was very likely done in pencil.

There are several versions of The Woman with the Binoculars, Degas having a passion for opera. Executed in oil or essence directly on cardboard, this signature stands out due to the contrasts between whites and browns. The painting is doubly signed at the bottom right. The top signature is barely visible. This is probably why Degas redid it lower down, whose originality will not escape us. The white stands out against the brown background. It has the appearance of a signature in gouache.

This black brush signature is distinguished by the thickness of the stroke, the shape of the D, and especially that of the s. One will note the space between the G and the A.

Placed on a painting with the theme of ironers, a recurring subject for Degas, this partially eroded signature has a profile already known. It is nonetheless distinguished by the shape of the D and the surprising erasure of the e and the g.

The signature of this painting is certainly one of the most original of all. It is first placed on the table below the reading stick of the newspaper, which was very common at the time. Rather than being horizontal, it follows this stick, but it is especially its shape that stands out. It is made with large brushstrokes, each letter, from the D to the s, being unusual for Degas. Had it been made on another work, one might have questioned its authenticity. Nothing of the sort, of course. This signature helps dispel the usual clichés about the expertise of Degas's works.

A recurring subject for Degas, found among the most beautiful public and private collections. Signed at the bottom left, at the corner of the ironing table, in light brown, as if to blend with the overall tone of the painting. As seen through the D, the signature is graphically halfway between the signatures of paintings and those of works on paper.

It is in the mirror that everything happens here, the painting resembling a work by Renoir. The signature fades in the top left, certainly decipherable but strangely eroded. Did Degas sign his painting this way? It seems unlikely. There is every reason to believe that the signature underwent an invasive cleaning that transformed it.

A rare theme for Degas, probably created during a stay in Normandy. The signature is one of the most unusual. Using black, as in other parts of the painting, Degas amplified the shape of the D and the thickness of the following letters. The letter D is certainly the most striking, with its thickening that distinguishes the signature.

The signature is placed at the bottom right, in the wheel of the race carriage, on one of Degas’s most famous paintings. It stands out due to its exceptional originality. One first notices the thickness of the black stroke, as well as the formation of the letters. Is it a poorly formed capital D? Did Degas intend to draw a D like the one on the posthumous sale stamp? The e and g strangely interlock. In fact, the bottom of the g is missing and does not appear.

This signature is easily recognizable by its regular form, which appears in various works, including paintings, pastels, and drawings. It is obviously the shape of the D that resembles that of the posthumous sale stamp. The canvas stands out particularly well in this lighter part of the painting.

The signature matches the overall gray tone of the painting. Slightly placed in the top right, it stands out due to the striking separation between the letters of the name. The grains of the underlying canvas are particularly visible.

The exact date of the painting is unknown, which explains this approximate dating. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's record does not mention the signature, which does indeed exist on the left side of the painting. If we accept, as is the case, the official date of the 1882 years, we will notice that the form of the signature is not new for Degas. Hence the question of the possible evolution of his signatures.

A theme executed by Degas several times with variations, particularly in colors. Paintings that are found in both public and private collections. Without being able to provide a logical explanation, some works are signed, while others are not, like at the Dallas Museum of Art, and some bear the posthumous sale stamp. Here, the signature is elegantly placed, regular, and finely drawn, with particular attention to the S. Although made with a brush on a canvas where the weave is visible, it evokes Degas's pencil signatures.

Degas uses some of the greens from the painting here to discreetly sign it at the bottom right. A signature where the space between the a and the s has no logical explanation. The underlying brushstrokes are clearly visible.

We do not know of a signature by Degas as elegant as this one, so much so that one could believe it to be an exercise in style. Each letter is indeed stylized as if Degas had wanted, in proportion, to mimic the flourishing strokes of our beautiful and old penmanship. One can recognize the E from his business card, but the shape of the D is majestic. The separation of his name, which he used in his early years before consolidating it as a single name without a prefix, is also noticeable; the painting dates back to 1865.

Was the signature made with pastel or pencil? One may wonder, as it is applied so finely. Here, it is the shape of the D that is particularly striking. If it is in pastel, this signature is exceptionally delicate and discreet.

The signature is undoubtedly in pastel, which does not seem to be the case for the dedication, which is probably done in pencil. Degas likely reworked the entire piece, as another signature and probably a dedication can be clearly seen above.

Signed in white, likely to echo the color of the dancers' tutus. One will notice the regularity of the signature and the usual form of the D, but especially the application of the s. Another photo will replace this imperfect one as soon as possible.

At the bottom right in the margin, this signature is placed on one of Degas's most famous works and, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful. This series of pastels on monotype places Degas at the height of his art, comparable to the works of Toulouse-Lautrec, who was also drawn—fascinated, perhaps?—by scenes from cabarets and café-concerts. Here, the atypical shape of the D stands out.

This signature in red pastel, quite common for Degas, is recognizable, with the shape of the D that, all proportions considered, recalls the D of the posthumous sale stamp.

The black signature in the middle left on the baseboard is notable for the very unusual character of the D, ending with a loop rarely formed this way by Degas.

This black pastel signature marks the famous painting, the subject of which reflects Degas's passion for opera. Often, as here, he leaves a space after the D, whose shape is relatively uncommon.

A variation of certain signatures that Degas forms on paper as well as on canvas. One will notice the original shape of the D with the return of its loop.

Certainly, the technical blend of this work—pastel and oil—allowed Degas to inscribe or, so to speak, sculpt his name on this pastel. He most likely used the back of the brush handle, as he would have done for an oil painting, so that the graphic work is discernible 'in depth.' With its upper loop, the D is obviously striking, one of the few of its kind by Degas.

Although quite common, we are publishing this signature to highlight the variations of the D and its graphic consistency.

This study is not only interesting for the combination of several techniques—pastel, charcoal, pencil, and white chalk—but also for its entirely unusual signature, which can be described as having exceptional graphic qualities. This signature adds a particularly interesting element to the expertise of Degas's works.

An interesting signature that resembles the posthumous sale stamp of 1918 and 1919.

A variant of this signature, commonly found in Degas’s work, indistinctly for both paintings and pastels. Here in red, which is not always the case with Degas. Of course, one will notice the shape of the D and the g, but this time, it is the s that is particularly well-formed.

Clearly visible in the top right, the signature and the date of 1882 were applied in pastel on a brown background, one of the main tones of the work. The signature follows a fairly common form for Degas, with a D that appears elsewhere.

The signature, probably in pastel, is partially erased. Only the last letters are decipherable, with the D and e barely legible. One wonders what the reason for this is, knowing that the pastel around the signature is also heavily smudged.

The signature was most certainly made in pastel. Degas uses a minor tone—the brown—to sign his work. It stands out particularly well against the white background. The shape of the d is what makes the signature unique, as well as the bottom of the g, where Degas does not complete the loop. When zoomed in, the photo appears imperfect.

This is undoubtedly one of Degas's most beautiful pastels, signed in black pastel on a lighter area at the bottom right. The signature stands out due to its strangely formed D and the amplitude of the s.

Signed Degas and dated 85: a document rare enough to be included here. Its graphic style, however, resembles some others we know from Degas.

Here is a pastel on canvas bearing this particularly well-drawn signature. One will obviously notice the loop of the D and the connection between the letters, especially the D and the e, which Degas often separates.

The signature here is almost identical to that of the pastel at the Musée d'Orsay, The Tub, except for the shape of the d, which differs by its loop. One will notice that the signature of The Woman Combing Her Hair at the Metropolitan Museum of Art was probably made with dry pastel, while the one at the Musée d'Orsay was made with oil pastel.

A signature and date in pastel, with the bright blue marking this famous pastel. The choice of this color is all the more surprising as it does not match the dominant colors and tones of the work.

This signature is quite common between 1885 and 1890. Degas places it in an original way, almost at the feet of the bather in a very visible spot. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, another very faded signature is applied at the bottom right.

The pastel signature that can be found in Degas's works from this period. It matches the overall tones of the pastel. It is clear that Degas took care to ensure they correspond, which is not always the case with signatures that contrast with the rest of the subject.

The signature follows the graphic style of this period, particularly in the form of the D. The G is strangely unfinished. According to the Norton Simon Museum, the date of [18] 85 may have been added later, as the museum dates the work more specifically between 1887 and 1890. It is true that the graphic style of the date is more rigid and applied, and it does not quite match the style of the signature.

Signed at the bottom right on the tree trunk. One will notice the original graphic style of the signature, with the very unusual shape of the D, the g, and the a, which rather resembles an e. The pastel signature is finely applied here.

Pastels on monotype are among Degas's most remarkable works. Where was this landscape with its many olive trees made? One might think of a landscape from the South, particularly Monet's landscapes done in Bordighera. One will notice the originality of the d, which is clearly separated from the rest of the signature.

The signature at the bottom right is notable for its resemblance to the red stamp of Degas's posthumous sales, with the D, however, varying.

Signed at the top right in red pastel. The signature stands out particularly well against the yellow. However, the date is much less legible. The date of 1894 is more likely to be retained rather than 1898, as the 9 in the date strangely resembles the g in Degas's signature.

Poorly applied or worn, this posthumous sale stamp could also be mistaken for a signature. We reproduce it here to highlight the potential for error and the possible confusion between the two, which should be cautious during an expert appraisal.

This drawing is not the only one by Degas depicting his brother at the age of 10. Some are unsigned, others, like this one, are signed, dated, and even dedicated. This signature is interesting, as it sometimes retains the original graphic style of the e in the first name and the D in the surname. As we have pointed out with other works, these graphic forms of the e and D were most likely inspired by Degas's business card at the time.

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Study for the painting of the same name at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this drawing bears a signature different from the painting in question [MS-795]. The difference lies between the oil signature and that of the drawing, which was probably made with charcoal. The form of the d, already known, can be seen here.

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he entire elegance of the work lies in the contrast between the pink of the paper and the brown ink of the drawing and signature. The signature, placed at the bottom right, owes its originality to the flowing shape of the d. It exactly matches the brown color of the drawing.

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Signed with charcoal in the same color as the overall tone of the work. This same signature can sometimes be found elsewhere among the paintings and pastels.

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This signature on the margin of a monotype is one of the most unusual of Degas. It is, of course, the shape of the D that is surprising. There is every reason to believe that the signature was made with a trembling hand.

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Works such as engravings and etchings bear very unusual signatures, as is the case here with this D, one of the most remarkable.

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The signature of this late work follows the pattern of previous ones, with the very distinctive shape of the D and the A, through which Degas's hesitations can be perceived. The signature does not appear to have been made in one go, as evidenced by the space between the D and the e.