Portrait of Edgar Degas, wearing a hat (1876, Met-Objekt 494)
Original title: Portrait of Edgar Degas, wearing a hat
kurzbeschreibung
In 1876, Marcellin Desboutin portrayed Edgar Degas wearing a hat. This drypoint shows the painter in half-length, part of a series of artist portraits from the Impressionist era. The print was executed using the drypoint technique.
Description
Edgar Degas appears in profile. He wears a tall, narrow cap and a long-sleeved shirt or jacket. One arm rests relaxed at his hip, the other is slightly extended forward. His well-groomed beard and moustache stand out. The background remains empty, and light falls evenly across the figure without harsh shadows.
Context
Desboutin made this portrait in 1876, when Impressionism was at its peak in Paris. The two artists were friends and portrayed each other. For intimate portraits, drypoint was highly valued by artists at the time.
Impact
The plain arrangement and the sitter's calm pose convey a focused, personal mood. Drypoint creates fine lines that give the image a lively, almost sketch-like quality, drawing the viewer in directly.
Technique
This is a drypoint, an intaglio method in which lines are scratched directly into the copper plate. The resulting burr produces a soft, velvety print. The present example is the first state of two, indicating an early stage of printing.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)