Artwork
Leaving the Bath
Leaving the Bath is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. It dates from 1880 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Leaving the Bath is a print created by Edgar Degas in 1880 using drypoint and aquatint on wove paper. It is one of a series of works depicting nudes produced during the 1880s.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a woman drying herself with a towel after bathing, her back turned to the viewer. The scene is intimate and candid, capturing a private moment.
Technique & Style
The work features rough, scratchy lines achieved through drypoint and aquatint techniques, giving the impression of spontaneity or experimentation. The style was characteristic of printmaking during this period.
Context
Degas was associated with the Impressionist movement, although he identified as a realist. His work often explored the human figure in various contexts, including intimate scenes of everyday life.
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.
After the Bath III
Leaving the Bath
On the Stage (Sur la scène)
Interieur mit Stehlampe (Interior with Floor Lamp)
Woman by a Fireplace
Woman Reading (Liseuse)
Nude Woman Standing, Drying Herself (Femme nue debout, a sa toilette)
Brandes and Le Bargy in "Cabotins" (Brandès et Les Bargy dans "Cabotins")
Actresses in Their Dressing Rooms
Dress Rehearsal at the Folies-Bergere (Répétition générale aux Folies-Bergère)
Leaving the Bath (La sortie du bain)
After the Bath: Woman Drying Herself