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The Riders by Degas, Edgar

Degas, Edgar · c. 1885

Edgar Degas, often associated with his iconic depictions of dancers, also held a profound fascination for racehorses and jockeys. His painting, *The Riders*, created around 1885 and now held in a private collection, captures the intense anticipation just before a race.

Observe the jockeys' focused expressions and relaxed yet alert postures, like the rider in the red cap, who seems ready for the signal. Degas's loose, gestural brushwork effectively conveys the horses' musculature and the dynamism of the scene, reflecting his interest in capturing fleeting moments.

Degas, despite being a contemporary of the Impressionists, preferred the label 'realist.' He meticulously studied movement and form, applying traditional academic methods to modern subjects. This approach allowed him to imbue his scenes with both psychological depth and a vivid sense of immediacy.

What details do you notice that bring this painting to life?

Details

He found it not just in dancers, but in horses and riders.
He found it not just in dancers, but in horses and riders.
Look at the focused gaze of this jockey in the red cap.
Look at the focused gaze of this jockey in the red cap.
Every line shows the tension before a race begins.
Every line shows the tension before a race begins.
But his brushstrokes capture the feeling of the moment.
But his brushstrokes capture the feeling of the moment.
He studied these details to make them come alive on canvas.
He studied these details to make them come alive on canvas.
Transcript

This painter was obsessed with capturing movement. He found it not just in dancers, but in horses and riders. Look at the focused gaze of this jockey in the red cap. Every line shows the tension before a race begins. He refused the term 'Impressionist,' preferring 'realist'. But his brushstrokes capture the feeling of the moment. He studied these details to make them come alive on canvas.