Portrait of Edgar Degas in profile
Original title: Portrait of Edgar Degas in profile
kurzbeschreibung
Michel Manzi portrayed Edgar Degas in profile in 1886, using a color etching whose plate was worked over with a roulette. Degas appears wearing a top hat, a dark jacket, and a blue scarf.
Description
A man is seen from the side, his gaze directed to the right. A black top hat sits on his head; his clothing is dark, and a blue scarf wraps around his neck. Stubble covers his face. The background remains a single color, which pushes the figure forward. A handwritten dedication and the artist's signature appear at the lower right.
Context
When Michel Manzi made this portrait in 1886, Edgar Degas was long established within Impressionism. Manzi, who was also an art dealer and printmaker, chose a side view for Degas—a format that recalls ancient coin portraits. Color etching with roulette was a common part of the late nineteenth-century repertoire and allowed for nuanced tonal values.
Impact
The profile view sets Degas at a distance and gives him a monumental quality. Dark clothing and the serious facial expression underscore the sitter's dignity. Because the background stays plain, attention turns entirely to Degas's features.
Technique
For this print, a plate was worked with a roulette to obtain fine textures and gradations. The tool leaves a stippling that creates soft transitions and spatial depth. The colors were applied to the paper in several printing passes, resulting in a lively overall impression.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)