Artwork
The Riders
The Riders is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. It dates from 1885 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Edgar Degas’s oil on canvas titled *The Riders* presents a group of six jockeys astride their horses on a verdant field. The composition captures a moment of poised anticipation, suggesting the imminent start of a race. The figures are arranged to convey both the individual focus of each rider and the collective energy of the gathering.
Subject & Meaning
The work foregrounds the relationship between horse and rider, emphasizing the tension and readiness that precede a competition. By placing the jockeys in dynamic stances, Degas highlights the physical coordination required for racing, while the surrounding open space and implied onlookers suggest a broader social context of spectatorship and sport.
Technique & Style
Degas employs loose, gestural brushwork and a vivid palette that enliven the scene with movement and atmosphere. The handling of light on the grass and the sheen of the horses’ coats creates a sense of immediacy, while the slightly blurred edges convey motion, characteristic of Degas’s interest in capturing fleeting moments.
History & Provenance
Created in the later phase of Degas’s career, *The Riders* reflects his sustained fascination with equestrian subjects. The painting entered public collections through a mid‑20th‑century acquisition, though earlier ownership details remain sparse. Its exhibition history includes several shows focusing on Degas’s studies of sport and modern life.
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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.
