Four Studies of the Head of a Young Italian Woman

1856

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Impressionism Realism Early 19th Century

About this work

You see four quick sketches of the same young woman’s head, each turned a little differently. Her face shifts from calm to tense, as if she’s holding back tears. Degas drew these in 1856 while living in Italy. He wrote the model’s name—Rita Cacciala—right on the paper, something artists often did to keep track of who posed for them. The small changes in her expression show how much he cared about real, fleeting moments. If you like how Degas worked, look up *sfumato*.