Sheet of Studies and Sketches

The central figure is a graphite rendering of a female head, copied from a drawing then believed to be by Leonardo da Vinci in the Uffizi. Surrounding it are quick studies of Florentine sculptures and a tentative portrait of Degas’s cousin Giulia Bellelli. Together, these elements reveal a young artist absorbing historical models while recording intimate, contemporary life.

Lines vary from delicate, controlled contours to loose, rapid strokes. The copied Leonardo head is rendered with careful attention to form, while the sculptural studies and portrait of Bellelli are sketched with immediacy and minimal detail. The absence of polish suggests a focus on observation over finish, characteristic of an artist in active learning.

Degas produced this sheet during a formative trip to Italy in 1858, part of his broader training through direct engagement with Renaissance art. It remained in his personal collection until his death, later entering the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Its survival offers rare insight into his early artistic development outside formal academy settings.

In mid-19th-century Europe, copying Old Master drawings was a standard method for training artists. Florence, rich in Renaissance art, offered direct access to works by Leonardo, Michelangelo, and others. Degas’s sheet exemplifies this tradition, yet its inclusion of personal subjects signals a shift toward individual expression within academic discipline.

This sheet reveals Degas’s early commitment to observation and his ability to synthesize historical influences with personal experience. Though not a finished work, it documents the foundational habits that would shape his later focus on movement, portraiture, and the interplay between tradition and modernity.