Woman Putting on a Stocking
Original title: Woman Putting on a Stocking
kurzbeschreibung
Edgar Degas made the bronze figure "Woman Pulling on a Stocking" between 1895 and 1910. It shows a naked woman in an unguarded moment, standing on one leg, leaning slightly forward, one hand touching her leg to draw on a stocking. The bronze measures 42.5 × 28.6 × 14.6 cm.
Description
Balancing on one leg, the woman tilts forward, her hand resting on her leg. The pose feels both active and fragile; muscles and anatomical details are carefully worked out. Nude and barefoot, she stands in a way that draws attention to her natural physicality. A square base of wood and metal contrasts with the warm tone of the bronze. Light falling from above brings out the surface textures and sculptural forms.
Context
In his late years, between 1895 and 1910, Degas turned increasingly to the female nude in everyday poses. He often worked in wax and clay; many sculptures were cast in bronze only after his death in 1917. The woman pulling on a stocking belongs to a series of sculptures that capture private, intimate moments of women's daily lives. During the artist's lifetime these works were hardly known publicly and gained wider circulation only through posthumous reproduction in bronze.
Impact
The figure draws the viewer in close, almost like a secret observer, and captures a moment of vulnerability and concentration. The rough bronze surface and the uncertain balance of the pose create a tension that holds attention. At the same time, the woman's natural posture and precise anatomy make her seem very alive and expressive.
Technique
The sculpture was cast in bronze using the lost-wax method. Degas first formed the figure in wax or clay; only later was it transferred to bronze. The surface is irregular, partly rough, so that traces of modeling remain visible and give the work a tactile quality.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)