Artwork
Portrait of Mme Lisle and Mme Loubens
Portrait of Mme Lisle and Mme Loubens is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. It dates from 1867 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. This oil on canvas painting depicts two women seated together, rendered in a somber and unfinished style.
About this work
Overview
This oil on canvas painting depicts two women seated together, rendered in a somber and unfinished style. The subjects are identified as Mme Lisle and Mme Loubens, friends of the Manet family.
Subject & Meaning
The sitters were acquaintances of Edgar Degas through their connection to Édouard Manet's social circle. Degas' attention to them is corroborated by a letter from Berthe Morisot, indicating the group's familiarity.
Technique & Style
The painting is characteristic of Degas' selective approach to portraiture, typically reserving this genre for those within his personal or social orbit. The somber tone and dark attire of the subjects contribute to the work's subdued atmosphere.
History & Provenance
Degas' preparatory drawings, which label the subjects, facilitated their identification. The artist's association with the Manet family and their social gatherings provided the context for his acquaintance with Mme Lisle and Mme Loubens.
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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.
