Woman by a Fireplace

1880/1890

Edgar Degas

Associated Names
Edgar Degas

Artist, French, 1834 - 1917

The image depicts a dimly lit interior scene. A three-armed candelabrum to the left casts a faint glow, illuminating the surroundings with heavy shadows. In the center, vague shapes and outlines suggest the presence of draped figures or objects merging into the dark ambiance. The atmosphere is moody and mysterious, with a play of light and shadow adding drama to the scene.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    monotype on heavy laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon

  • Dimensions

    plate: 27.5 x 37.7 cm (10 13/16 x 14 13/16 in.)
    sheet: 32.7 x 49 cm (12 7/8 x 19 5/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1985.64.168

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Janis 1968, undescribed

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, Upperville, Virginia; gift 1985 to NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1974

  • Edgar Degas: The Reluctant Impressionist, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1974, (exhibited as "After the Bath"), no. 102, repro. fig. 7.

1986

  • Graphic Survey Show, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., February 1986.

1988

  • Degas, Galeries nationales du Grand Palais, Paris; National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; and Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1988-1989 (shown only in Paris and Ottawa), no. 196, repro.

1994

  • Degas Monotypes, Ordrupgaardsamlingen, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1994-1995, no. 56.

1999

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

2004

  • The Unfinished Print, The Frick Collection, New York; Städelsches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt am Main, 2004-2005.

2009

  • The Darker Side of Light: Arts of Privacy, 1850-1900, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Smart Museum of Art, Chicago, 2009-2010 (Los Angeles and Washington only), repro. p.74.

2016

  • In Celebration of Paul Mellon, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 2016, no cat.

2024

  • Edgar Degas: Multi-Media Artist in the Age of Impressionism, The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA, 2024.

Bibliography

1968

  • Janis, Eugenia Parry, compiler. Degas Monotypes; essay, catalogue, and checklist. Cambridge: Fogg Art Museum, 1968.

Inscriptions

center verso Degas atelier stamp (Lugt 657); center verso in blue crayon: 1443

Watermarks

Arches (partial)

Wikidata ID

Q74070774

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