Portrait of Hortense Valpinçon (Mme. Jacques Fourchy)
Original title: Portrait of Hortense Valpinçon (Mme. Jacques Fourchy)
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many comparable portraits from the 1880s, this 1883 drawing by Edgar Degas shows Hortense Valpinçon, later Madame Jacques Fourchy, in profile. It is executed in black conté crayon on paper and measures 25 x 16.3 cm. The sheet belongs to a series of portraits Degas made for various members of the Valpinçon family.
Description
The sheet presents a woman seen from the side, her hair tied back in a ponytail that falls behind her. Black and white dominate the effect, with the conté crayon setting clear contours and modeling facial features and hair texture through varying degrees of lightness. The background remains empty, drawing the eye entirely to the sitter. A signature and the date 'avant 1885' appear at the lower right.
Context
Hortense Valpinçon was the daughter of Paul Valpinçon, a close friend and supporter of Degas. The family owned a significant art collection and had been in contact with the artist since the 1860s. Degas produced several portraits of family members, including this one of the young Hortense. The drawing dates from a period when he was deeply engaged with portrait studies and frequently used relatives and friends as models.
Impact
Clearly drawn lines and nuanced shading give the sheet an immediate, precise presence. The profile view creates both closeness and distance, characteristic of Degas's portraits. Because everything is reduced to the woman's face, a concentrated, almost meditative mood emerges.
Technique
Black conté crayon was used, a hard drawing medium that allows fine lines and precise shading. With it, forms can be worked out subtly without resorting to flat color. The drawing was made on paper, which emphasizes the lightness of the strokes and the accuracy of detail.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)