Artwork
Girl in Red
Girl in Red is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. It dates from 1866 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1866, *Girl in Red* is an oil on canvas by the French painter Edgar Degas. Though often linked to Impressionism, Degas identified himself with Realist principles, emphasizing observation over idealization. The work presents a solitary female figure rendered with a focus on surface detail and tonal contrast.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a woman dressed in a vivid red gown with a high collar and fur trim, her hair neatly gathered. She holds a small fur muff, suggesting a moment of private poise. The dark, unadorned backdrop isolates the figure, directing attention to her attire and demeanor.
Technique & Style
Degas employs loose, visible brushwork that imparts a soft, almost unfinished quality to the surface. The handling of paint reflects a departure from the polished finish of academic painting, aligning with the emerging modern approaches of the mid‑nineteenth century.
History & Provenance
The painting was executed during Degas’s early career, a period when he was expanding his range beyond the ballet scenes for which he is best known. It exemplifies his interest in portraiture and everyday subjects, though specific details of its ownership history remain limited.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas on 19 July 1834 in Paris, Edgar Degas came from an affluent banking family with aristocratic roots and spent his childhood among the cultivated circles of the French capital.
