← Edgar Degas

Woman Drying Her Arm

Original title: Woman Drying Her Arm

Artist

Edgar Degas

Date

late 1880s–early 1890s

Medium

Pastel and charcoal on light pink wove paper, discolored at the edges

Dimensions

12 x 17 1/2in. (30.5 x 44.5cm) Frame: 17 1/8 x 22 7/8 x 1 7/8 in. (43.5 x 58.1 x 4.8 cm)

Credit line

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

kurzbeschreibung

Edgar Degas made 'Woman Drying Her Arm' in the late 1880s to early 1890s. The pastel and charcoal drawing on light pink wove paper shows a nude woman leaning to the right as she dries her arm.

Description

Bent forward and turned to her right, the woman dries her right arm. Her skin is light and smooth, and a white cloth wraps her waist. Greens and pastel tones fill the background with trees and shrubs. The layout is asymmetrical, with the woman as the central focus. Light from the front picks out the contours of her body.

Context

This sheet belongs to a period when Degas was deeply engaged with the female nude in everyday moments. A woman drying her arm is a motif that defines his late pastels, which often capture private, intimate instants. The work is part of a series of pastels devoted to women's personal care.

Impact

Warm colors and fluid strokes create a calm, familiar mood. The asymmetrical arrangement and the woman's natural pose make the image feel unforced, almost offhand, and bring the viewer close to a private act.

Technique

Pastel and charcoal on light pink wove paper, with discolored edges. Pastel allowed Degas fine color transitions and a soft texture, while charcoal defines contours and shadows precisely.

AI-generated description text

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