Youth in an Attitude of Defense
Original title: Youth in an Attitude of Defense
kurzbeschreibung
Edgar Degas drew "Youth in a Defensive Posture" between 1859 and 1860. The naked boy assumes a warding-off stance. The sheet is executed in pencil on buff laid paper and measures 32.8 × 21 cm.
Description
Seen from behind, the boy turns to the left; his raised arms fend off something that remains outside the picture. Black and white dominate, and the muscular drawing of the body stands out clearly. Pencil strokes of varying strength and depth give the figure structure and movement. The background remains sparse, so the eye stays fixed on the boy. In the lower left, the artist's name appears in red.
Context
The drawing was made during a stay in Italy, where Degas studied ancient art and anatomy in depth. It served as a study, probably with a view to history paintings he was preparing at the time. It reveals his early academic style, long before he found his way to Impressionism.
Impact
Precise lines and the animated pose lend the sheet liveliness and power. Because everything is reduced to the body in action, an immediate, almost dramatic tension arises. The viewer follows the boy's defensive gesture.
Technique
Drawn in pencil on buff laid paper; the stroke thickness varies to bring out shadow and volume. The paper shows a slightly cracked texture and discoloration at the edges, traces of aging. The red signature was added later, presumably by Degas himself.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)