Artwork
René de Gas
René de Gas is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Its meaning derives from the personal connection between Degas and his brother, reflecting the artist's early interest in depicting family members.
The work is a portrait of René de Gas, the artist's younger brother, painted by Edgar Degas in 1855 in oil on canvas. The iconography is straightforward: it presents a realistic likeness without overt allegorical symbols, emphasizing the sitter's presence through the portrait conventions of the period. Its meaning derives from the personal connection between Degas and his brother, reflecting the artist's early interest in depicting family members.
The work remained in private hands before its acquisition by Wildenstein & Co. and its later gift by Paul Mellon to the National Gallery of Art.
Technique & Style
René de Gas is an oil painting on canvas dated 1855, measuring approximately 38.6 cm by 32.1 cm. Executed in oil, the work belongs to the portrait genre and depicts the sitter René de Gas. Its formal qualities reflect the conventional composition and restrained brushwork typical of mid-nineteenth-century French portraiture, while the canvas support and oil medium contribute to a smooth, luminous surface. The painting has been part of the National Gallery of Art's collection in Washington, D.C., since a 1995 gift from Paul Mellon, and was previously owned by Wildenstein & Co.
History & Provenance
René de Gas was painted by Edgar Degas in 1855, an early portrait in oil on canvas of his younger brother. The work descended within the artist's family, passing to René de Gas (1845–1927) in Paris and subsequently to Roland Nepveu-de Gas (1885–1962), likely by 1931, when the painting was lent to a Paris exhibition. It entered the market at a sale held at the Hôtel Drouot in Paris on 24 November 1964 (lot 38), after which it was sold to Wildenstein & Co. in New York.
In December 1968 Wildenstein sold the painting to Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia, who gifted it to the National Gallery of Art in 1995, where it remains.
Overview
Edgar Degas's 1855 oil-on-canvas portrait, René de Gas, depicts his younger brother. This early work showcases the artist's foundational training in realist portraiture, a style characterized by direct observation and a straightforward presentation of the subject. It predates his later involvement with the Impressionist movement, offering insight into his formative artistic development.
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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.
