Study of a Jockey

c. 1884

Edgar Degas

Associated Names
Edgar Degas

Artist, French, 1834 - 1917

The image depicts a sketch of a person shown from the side, with their upper body visible down to waist level. The individual is seated, slightly leaning forward, with their shoulders hunched and head inclined forward. Their facial features are drawn in profile, with a sharp nose and a subtle chin line; the shadow of a prominent brow and shaded eye area conveys a contemplative posture. They are wearing a cap that covers the person’s hair and a jacket with a raised collar, accompanied by folds indicating material texture. The background is plain with no additional objects or elements, emphasizing the focus on the figure's posture and clothing. The artist's signature, "Degas," is visible in red in the lower left corner.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    charcoal on brown paper

  • Credit Line

    Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon

  • Dimensions

    overall: 31.8 x 24.8 cm (12 1/2 x 9 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1999.79.12

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Lemoisne 1946, undescribed


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Atelier Degas, Paris, until 1917 (Lugt 657); (3rd atelier sale, Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 1918, no. 105.4). (Galerie Schmidt, Paris, by 1975). (E. V. Thaw and Co., Inc., New York); Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, Upperville, VA, 1978; gift to NGA, 1999.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1975

  • Degas, Galerie Schmit, Paris, 1975, no. 80.

1978

  • Degas, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, 1978, no. 24 (no cat.).

1998

  • Degas at the Races, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1998, no. 76.

1999

  • An Enduring Legacy: Masterpieces from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1999-2000.

Bibliography

1946

  • Lemoisne, Paul André. Degas et son oeuvre. 4 vols. Paris: Arts et metiers graphiques, 1946-1949. Vols. 2 and 3, 1946. Reprinted in 5 vols., New York and London, 1984.

1998

  • Degas at the Races. Exh. cat. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1998: no. 76.

Wikidata ID

Q64556385

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