Madame Loubens
ca. 1869
Medium
Charcoal and pastel with red, black, and white chalk over graphite on beige wove paper
Dimensions
Sheet: 9 3/8 x 8 1/16 in. (23.8 x 20.5cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1918
Accession Number
19.51.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the intimate world of Edgar Degas *Madame Loubens*, captivating portrait from around 1869. Created Degas' early maturity, when he was shifting from classical history paintings toward the vibrant scenes of modern Parisian life, this drawing depicts an elegant woman—likely a figure from his social circle—gazing thoughtfully. At just 9 3/8 x 8 1/16 inches, its small scale invites close contemplation, much like a private sketchbook glimpse into 19th-century bourgeois society. Degas masterfully employs a rich mixed-media technique: graphite underdrawing provides precise contours, layered...
About the Artist
Edgar Degas · 1834–1917
Edgar Degas (1834-1917) stands as one of the most innovative artists of the nineteenth century, whose distinctive vision transformed how modern life could be depicted on canvas. Born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas in Paris to a wealthy banking family—his father French, his mother a Louisiana Creole from New Orleans—Degas received a classical education before abandoning law studies in 1855 to pursue ...