Woman Having Her Hair Combed
Original title: Woman Having Her Hair Combed
kurzbeschreibung
A naked woman sits on a yellow chair while a second figure, seen only in part, combs her hair. Edgar Degas made this pastel around 1886–88. The support was a light greenish paper that has since darkened to a warm gray.
Description
Apart from a white cloth across her lower body, the seated woman is undressed. She seems at ease, her head turned upward. The other figure, running a hand through her hair, stays at the edge of the sheet and wears a pink top and white trousers. Warm tones and a grain reminiscent of wood fill the space behind the pair.
Context
During the 1880s Degas devoted himself increasingly to the subject of the toilette and the private female realm. This sheet belongs to a group of pastels begun in that decade and often shown in exhibitions. The woman combing her hair recurs throughout his later work.
Impact
Earthy, warm colors and the domestic closeness of the two figures create a quiet, withdrawn mood. One woman's loose seated pose and the other's delicate hand movement give rise to an atmosphere that is sensual yet entirely ordinary.
Technique
For this sheet Degas used pastel crayon on light green laid paper, which aging has turned a warm gray. The ground is mounted on cardboard. Pastel allowed soft transitions and a grainy surface, making skin and fabric stand out with a sculptural quality.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)