After the Bath

About the Art

Degas’s preference for the human figure and indoor subjects sets him apart from Monet and most other Impressionists, and he preferred to think of himself as a Realist who painted objective scenes of contemporary life. Yet his interest in everyday subjects allied him with other Impressionists, and he exhibited in the so-called Impressionist Exhibitions.

Degas’s images of bathers emphasize line, form and color, but the subjects are unidealized nudes, likely prostitutes hired to model back in his studio. Widely appreciated today, critics originally had difficulty accepting the unflattering images when first introduced at the final Impressionist Exhibition of 1886.

FEATURED IMAGE
Edgar Degas (French, 1834–1917), After the Bath, about 1895, pastel on paper, frame: 31 x 35 3/8 x 4 1/4 inches (78.7 x 89.9 x 10.8 cm). Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Haswell, 1952.33