Who painted Diego Martelli?

Diego Martelli was painted by Edgar Degas in 1879.

Where can I see Diego Martelli?

Diego Martelli is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Diego Martelli?

Diego Martelli is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Diego Martelli

Edgar Degas , 1879

Diego Martelli is a drawing by the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. It dates from 1879 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Edgar Degas produced this charcoal drawing in 1879 as part of a series of studies of his friend, the Italian art critic Diego Martelli (1839‑1896). The sketch captures Martelli in a relaxed pose, his head resting on one hand, eyes half‑closed, suggesting a moment of informal contemplation rather than a formal portrait.

Subject & Meaning

Martelli was a pivotal advocate for avant‑garde art in Italy, championing the Impressionists and documenting their early exhibitions. By portraying him in an unguarded state, Degas underscores the critic’s intellectual fatigue and perhaps the weight of his role in defending new artistic directions against hostile reception.

Technique & Style

The drawing is executed with loose, gestural lines that verge on scribble, conveying immediacy and spontaneity. Degas employed rapid strokes to suggest form rather than detailed rendering, a method that aligns with his practice of using quick studies to capture the essence of a subject before committing to a finished painting.

History & Provenance

This study is directly linked to two later oil portraits of Martelli, one housed in the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh and the other in the National Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires. The drawing itself remains in a private collection, serving as a preparatory reference for those larger works.

Context

Created during the year Degas exhibited with the Impressionists in Paris, the drawing reflects the artist’s close relationship with Martelli, who had written influential reviews of the 1879 Impressionist show. Martelli’s critical support helped disseminate the movement’s ideas across Europe, reinforcing the cross‑national dialogue that shaped modern art.

Artist & collection

Artist

Edgar Degas

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.