Woman Getting out of the Bath
Original title: Woman Getting out of the Bath
kurzbeschreibung
Edgar Degas modeled this woman in bronze around 1890 or later, but the cast was only made in 1920. She is a bather rising, lifting one leg while the other foot supports her, both arms reaching upward. A cloth sits on her head.
Description
One leg bears the weight, the second is raised, and the arms stretch up — the pose feels arrested mid-motion. A cloth covers her head. Where light falls from above, the unevenness of the bronze comes forward, traces of modeling that make skin and movement legible. The figure stands on a black base; behind her, the ground stays quiet and uniform.
Context
The cast was made in 1920, after Degas's death; the model for it likely dates from around 1890 or later. This bather belongs to a group of similar figures from his late years, when he observed the female body in everyday life. He often worked in wax and clay — these pieces were only transferred to bronze when his estate had them cast after his death.
Impact
The movement has an immediate effect: standing on one leg, raised arms, lifted leg — the eye follows the body upward. Light from above sharpens the contours and gives the figure a physical closeness that does not let the viewer go easily.
Technique
Cast in bronze by the artist's estate after his death. The surface preserves the detailed structure of the wax or clay modeling, making the figure's movement traceable in the metal skin.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)