Artwork
Woman Combing her Hair before a Mirror
Woman Combing her Hair before a Mirror is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. It dates from 1889 and is held in the collection of the Norton Simon Museum.
About this work
Overview
Woman Combing her Hair before a Mirror is an 1889 oil painting by French artist Edgar Degas, now part of the Norton Simon Museum's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The painting captures a solitary, intimate moment of a woman engaged in a personal grooming ritual. Her absorbed pose, illuminated by an unseen light source, conveys a sense of privacy, as if the viewer has intruded upon a quiet, everyday scene.
Technique & Style
Degas employs chiaroscuro to create depth, with contrasting light and shadow emphasizing the woman's face and hands. The composition, featuring a figure before a mirror, reflects Degas' characteristic focus on capturing modern life's mundane yet revealing moments.
History & Provenance
Created in 1889, the work is currently housed at the Norton Simon Museum, though specific details of its acquisition history are not provided here.
Context
This piece aligns with Degas' broader oeuvre, which frequently depicted women in ordinary, often isolated activities, offering glimpses into late 19th-century daily life.
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.
