Après le Bain II (After the Bath II)

Edgar Degas

1892

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Nude

About this work

This sketch shows a woman drying herself with a towel, her back to us. The room looks dim, with a faint glow from a window or lamp. She stands near a chair and a pile of clothes on the floor. The artist used quick, rough lines to suggest movement and texture, like the towel’s folds or her wet skin. This style was new for its time—less polished than traditional art. Next, check out lithography to see how artists like Degas made prints like this one.