Artwork
Two Women
Two Women is a pastel drawing by the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. It dates from 1879 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The composition is framed by warm, richly tinted surroundings that convey a quiet, intimate setting.
Edgar Degas’s drawing presents a pair of women positioned side by side within a domestic interior. The figures share a similar build and attire, standing close together while the left-hand figure gazes outward and the right-hand figure leans slightly forward, drawn to a small orange blossom held in her hand. The composition is framed by warm, richly tinted surroundings that convey a quiet, intimate setting.
Subject & Meaning
Both women are rendered with comparable facial features, pale complexion and brown hair gathered in modest updos, emphasizing their likeness. Their matching pink dresses with blue collars reinforce this visual echo, inviting the viewer to compare subtle differences in posture and expression. The delicate focus on the orange flower suggests a moment of shared attention, hinting at themes of companionship or quiet observation within a private space.
Technique & Style
Degas employed a combination of pastel, watercolor and charcoal on tan laid paper, later mounted on board. The pastel layers convey soft flesh tones and the sheen of the dresses, while charcoal provides structural definition for the figures and interior architecture. Watercolor washes contribute to the warm, saturated background, creating depth without overwhelming the delicate rendering of the subjects.
Context
Created during Degas’s later years, the work reflects his sustained interest in portraying everyday moments and the private lives of women. The choice of pastel over watercolor aligns with his broader experimentation with drawing media, allowing him to capture fleeting gestures and atmospheric light that characterize many of his intimate genre scenes.
Own this work as a print
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.
Café-Concert
Portrait after a Costume Ball (Portrait of Madame Dietz-Monnin)
Portrait of Mme. Lisle and Mme Loubens
Dancers
Woman Drying Her Arm
Portrait of Mme Lisle and Mme Loubens
Study for In the Salon on the Rue des Moulins
Deliberando
Ballet Dancer with Arms Crossed
Rue des Moulins, 1894
The Millinery Shop by Edgar Degas
Three Dancers Resting