Young Woman Dressing Herself

1885

Edgar Degas

Associated Names
Edgar Degas

Artist, French, 1834 - 1917

This drawing shows a woman seen from the back, standing with her head bent forward. She appears to be lifting a white skirt or dress over her head, and her shoulders and neck are covered by white fabric. She is otherwise nude. Her head is entirely obscured except for a sliver of dark hair, and she has pale skin. She stands on a pile of blue and white fabric. The background features green foliage, including grass and a brown tree trunk in the top right corner. The visible lines of the drawing provide some texture.

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Artwork overview

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Dikran Khan Kélékian, Paris and New York; (his sale, American Art Association, New York, 30-31 January 1922, 2nd day, no. 153, as The Bather). Neuman. Gerald Brooks; Mrs. Helen Brooks; purchased June 1936 by Marie N. [1903-1970] and W. Averell [1891-1986]Harriman, New York and Washington, D.C.;[1] W. Averell Harriman Foundation; gift 1972 to NGA.
[1] Provenance information is from Harriman collection records, in NGA curatorial files.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1886

  • Possibly La 8me Exposition de Peinture [Eighth Impressionist Exhibition], Paris, 1886.

1921

  • Paintings by Modern French Masters representing the Post-Impressionists and their Predecessors, Brooklyn Museum, New York, March-April 1921, probably no. 79, as Woman drying her arms.

  • [untitled exhibition; first showing of a portion of the Kélékian collection], Brooklyn Museum, February 1921, no cat.

  • Loan Exhibition of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Paintings, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, May-September 1921, no. 32, as The Bather.

1937

  • French Painting, Marie Harriman Gallery, New York, 1937, no. 4.

1939

  • Modern French Masters: Important Paintings, Marie Harriman Gallery, New York, 1939, no. 2.

1961

  • Exhibition of the Marie and Averell Harriman Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1961, unnumbered catalogue, repro. 18.

1986

  • The New Painting: Impressionism 1874-1886, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, 1986, no. 140 (shown only in Washington).

2011

  • Degas and the Nude, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Musée d'Orsay, Paris, 2011-2012, fig. 141.

2019

  • The Touch of Color: Pastels at the National Gallery of Art, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2019 - 2020, unnumbered catalogue.

Bibliography

1975

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Summary Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1975: 100, repro.

1984

  • Brame/Reff 1984, 113.

  • Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Rev. ed. New York, 1984: 478, no. 703, color repro.

1985

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1985: 122, repro.

1986

  • The New Painting: Impressionism 1874-1886. Exh. cat. The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; National Gallery of Art, Washington. San Francisco, 1986: 140.

1988

  • The Art of Paul Gauguin. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1988: no. 83.

1995

  • Callen, Anthea. The Spectacular Body: Science, Method, and Meaning in the Work of Degas. New Haven and London, 1995: fig. 90.

1996

  • Kendall, Richard. Beyond Impressionism. London, 1996: 141-142, fig. 162.

2014

  • Lloyd, Christopher. Edgar Degas: drawings and pastels. Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum, 236.

2019

  • Schulman, Michael.Edgar Degas, Digital Critical Catalogue. MS-21.

Inscriptions

lower right: Degas / 85

Wikidata ID

Q64556351

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