Artwork
Actress in her Dressing Room
Actress in her Dressing Room is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Norton Simon Museum.
About this work
Overview
Edgar Degas's 'Actress in her Dressing Room' (1890) is an oil painting housed at the Norton Simon Museum, depicting a solitary figure in a personal, introspective setting.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, a woman in a red dress with a white collar, stands before a mirror, her face turned away from the viewer. Her reflection reveals a neutral expression, capturing a private, unguarded moment.
Technique & Style
Degas employs dim lighting, with soft illumination from a window on the right, to create a quiet, intimate atmosphere. The contrast between the woman's averted face and her reflected gaze adds depth to the scene.
History & Provenance
Created in 1890, the painting is now part of the Norton Simon Museum's collection.
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.
Alone at the Atelier
The Green Bodice
Joven en una puerta
The Infanta Margarita
The Fantastic Dress
In Front of the Mirror
Ballo in Maschera (Masquerade Ball)
Portrait of Madame Judic during Act II of "Niniche"
Woman Stretching
Gabrielle Vallotton à sa table de toilette
Throwing off her Weeds
Arrangement, Emma in a Room