1863
oil
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Young Woman in Black is a 1863 oil by Edgar Degas, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This painting shows a woman sitting still, dressed in a dark dress with a high collar. Her hair is pulled back neatly, and she wears a yellow bow at her neck. The background is blurry, with quick brushstrokes that fade into light and shadow. The loose, sketchy style suggests the artist prioritized quick strokes over detail. This was a break from the polished portraits of the time. Next, check out impasto to see how thick paint can create texture like this.
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.
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