← Edgar Degas

Actresses in Their Dressing Rooms

Original title: Actresses in Their Dressing Rooms

Artist

Edgar Degas

Date

1879–80

Medium

Etching and aquatint; fourth state of five

Dimensions

sheet: 8 7/8 x 12 5/16 in. (22.5 x 31.2 cm) plate: 6 5/16 x 8 3/8 in. (16 x 21.2 cm)

Credit line

H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929

kurzbeschreibung

This etching with aquatint by Edgar Degas dates from around 1879–80. It captures two actresses in a theatre dressing room: one seated and combing her hair, the other standing with a garment in hand, both seen through a mirror.

Description

On the left, a woman sits calmly on a chair, drawing a brush through her hair, her gaze fixed on the mirror; her dress leaves her shoulders and arms bare. To the right, the second woman stands holding a garment, also inspecting herself in the mirror; her dress emphasises the waist. The room feels bare, with curtains and a door behind. Light enters from the left, casting shadows on the wall and figures. The arrangement is asymmetrical, the palette limited to greys, the details realistic, and the texture shows impressionist touches.

Context

During this period Degas was deeply engaged with the ballet and theatre world, returning to it again and again. The etching exists in five states; the fourth state shown here proves that Degas reworked the plate several times. The motif of actresses in their dressing rooms belongs to a series that recorded backstage life. Degas sought unposed, familiar moments beyond the public performance.

Impact

The monochrome grey palette and the soft transitions of the aquatint give the print a quiet, intimate mood. Because the figures appear in the mirror, a subtle blurring occurs between reality and reflection, drawing the viewer into the private scene. The asymmetrical layout and relaxed poses feel casual and yet precisely observed.

Technique

This work is an etching with aquatint, a process in which the plate is bitten with acid to create tonal values. Aquatint allows fine gradations of grey, while the etching supplies the lines for contours. That this is the fourth of five states indicates a plate that was extensively reworked and points to an experimental working process.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)