Artwork
The Old Italian Woman
The Old Italian Woman is an oil painting by the French Romanticist artist Edgar Degas. It dates from 1857 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The piece serves as an early example of Degas's engagement with portraiture, capturing the likeness of the Italian woman as the primary intent of the work.
The Old Italian Woman is a portrait painting by Edgar Degas created in 1857 that depicts a single female subject. As a work classified within the portrait genre, the composition focuses entirely on the representation of a woman, establishing her as the central figure of the image. Executed in oil paint on canvas, the artwork measures 74.9 by 61 centimeters and is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The subject matter is straightforward, presenting a direct visual record of the sitter without additional narrative elements or complex symbolic layers described in the available records. The piece serves as an early example of Degas's engagement with portraiture, capturing the likeness of the Italian woman as the primary intent of the work.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1857, this portrait by Edgar Degas is an oil painting on canvas. The work measures approximately 74.9 cm in height and 61 cm in width. As an early example of Degas's output, the piece utilizes traditional oil pigments applied to a woven fabric support, adhering to standard nineteenth-century portrait conventions.
The composition focuses on a single female figure, rendered with the opacity and textural potential characteristic of the oil medium. While specific details regarding surface condition or distinct brushwork handling are not detailed in the available records, the material construction is consistent with academic training practices of the period.
History & Provenance
The work titled The Old Italian Woman was painted by Edgar Degas in 1857 using oil on canvas. It measures 74.9 cm by 61 cm and falls within the portrait genre. Following its creation, the painting entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it has been housed since acquisition.
While the sources confirm its current custody and physical attributes, they do not provide specific inventory or accession numbers, nor do they list any past exhibitions or loan history for the piece.
Overview
Edgar Degas completed The Old Italian Woman, an oil painting, in 1857. This portrait captures an elderly woman in an interior setting, showcasing the artist's early engagement with figure studies. The artwork is part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing a significant piece from Degas's formative period before his later focus on ballet dancers and laundresses. It offers insight into his developing style and interest in individual character.
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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.
