Degas at the Races: Sculpture

X-radiograph image of Horse at Trough, X-ray and photograph, Conservation Laboratory, National Gallery of Art, Washington. © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. previous next back to sculpture

X-rays reveal what is hidden inside sculpture, just as they pass through a body and show a skeleton as white. Degas' metal armature stops the X-rays' penetration, causing it to show up as white. The wax and clay portions of the figure appear gray. The X-radiograph of Horse at Trough shows that Degas' armature is like a detailed sketch or drawing, with an intricate interior structure. Wrapping and twisting wire, Degas formed the basic skeleton of backbone, neck, head, ribs, legs, and tail--and manipulated them into the position he wanted. Look closely at the chest, and you can see how the barrel of the rib cage is defined by numerous fine wires. Also note that the internal construction of the angled, wooden base is visible on the X-radiograph. The finished sculpture gives no indication that there are twisted wires, blocks of wood, and nails inside.