Woman Seated in Chair Wiping her Left Side
Original title: Woman Seated in Chair Wiping her Left Side
kurzbeschreibung
Around 1896–1900, Edgar Degas modeled "Seated Woman Wiping Her Left Side," which was cast in bronze in 1920. The statue shows a woman in a twisted, lively seated pose and belongs to Degas's late studies of the human body in unusual, familiar moments.
Description
A seated woman raises one arm, leans to the left, and dries her left side with a cloth. The pose appears twisted and active; the musculature is expressive and stylized. The bronze surface looks rough and textured, as if recalling a natural environment. Light falling from the side brings out tones between dark brown and gold and emphasizes contours and details.
Context
In his late years, Degas devoted himself intensively to the female body in everyday, unidealized situations. At that time he worked increasingly with wax; the bronze casting took place only after his death. The series of bathers and women drying themselves is among his best-known sculptural works, which he never showed publicly during his lifetime.
Impact
The expressive, almost coarse surface and the unusual pose give the figure an immediate, intimate presence. The twisting of the body creates tension and draws the viewer into the moment of the action, while the dark patina conveys a serious, contemplative mood.
Technique
The cast was made in bronze; the rough surface stems from the original wax modeling. Degas used wax to capture spontaneous, lively poses, and the later bronze execution preserved these irregular textures. The various color tones result from patination, which gives the cast a warm, graduated surface.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)