Self-Portrait
Edgar Degas, ca. 1855–56
About this artwork
Edgar Degas' *Self-Portrait* (ca. 1855–56) offers a rare glimpse into the young artist's early experimentation, created when he was just beginning his career in mid-19th-century Paris. At around 16 x 13½ inches, this intimate oil on paper, laid down on canvas, captures Degas gazing thoughtfully at himself—a bold choice for a budding painter influenced by the rigorous traditions of French academic training. The unconventional medium of oil on paper highlights specialized techniques of the era, where artists prepared surfaces with care and mounted fragile supports on canvas for durability, blending drawing-like spontaneity with painterly depth. This work reflects broader patterns of 19th-century European art production, from workshop practices to patron expectations, while showcasing Degas' emerging individual vision amid prevailing aesthetic theories. Classified as a drawing yet housed in the European Paintings department at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (bequest of Stephen C. Clark, 1960), it bridges genres and underscores self-portraiture's role in artists' self-exploration and social display. Its survival invites us to ponder the cultural values, technical mastery, and human drive for beauty that defined the time, connecting us to Degas' path toward Impressionist innovation.