Self-Portrait with Christine and Yvonne Lerolle
Original title: [Self-Portrait with Christine and Yvonne Lerolle]
kurzbeschreibung
Edgar Degas appears here himself, alongside Christine and Yvonne Lerolle, in a photograph probably taken in 1895–96 in an interior. Executed as a gelatin silver print, the image combines portrait-like intimacy with the photographic practice typical of Degas at the time.
Description
A man sits on a sofa, facing two women. The woman on the right wears a light dress, her hands resting in her lap; the one on the left, also in white, has her arms crossed. Behind them, wall decorations and a window with curtains emerge. The layout feels relaxed, the figures placed close together.
Context
In the 1890s Degas devoted himself increasingly to photography, and this image falls into that phase. Christine and Yvonne Lerolle were daughters of Henry Lerolle, a painter and collector with whom Degas was friendly. The picture was presumably made in a private setting, which explains the informal mood.
Impact
Calm and pensiveness define the impression, supported by the relaxed postures of the sitters. The black-and-white reproduction gives the sheet a timeless, familiar aura.
Technique
A gelatin silver print, as was common at the time, is presented here. The unique print was mounted on cardboard, underscoring the aim to present photography as an independent work of art.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)