Edgar Degas

French, 1834-1917

Portrait de Mlle Rose Caron (Portrait of Rose Caron), ca. 1892

oil on canvas

support: 30 x 32 1/2 inches (76.2 x 82.55 cm); framed: 39 1/4 x 42 1/2 x 5 3/4 inches (99.69 x 107.95 x 14.6 cm)

Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York

Charles Clifton, Charles W. Goodyear and Elisabeth H. Gates Funds, 1943

1943:1

Currently On View

More Details

Inscriptions

stamp / lower left / Degas

Provenance

the artist;
April 1919, purchased by Dr. Georges Viau, Paris [1855-1939] from the third Degas Atelier sale, April 7-9, 1919, at Galerie Georges Petit, Paris;
July 21, 1939, purchased by André Weil;
The Matignon Art Galleries, New York City;
January 7, 1943, purchased by the Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo

Class

Paintings (visual works)

Work Type

Oil painting (visual work)

This information may change due to ongoing research. Glossary of Terms

The gesture of a woman pulling on a long glove is the focal point of this portrait by Edgar Degas. Rose Caron (French, 1857–1930) was a famous operatic soprano. Through his extensive social circle and consuming love of the theater, Degas came to know Caron quite well. As evidenced by his abundant depictions of ballet dancers and other stage performers, the movements and physical traits of such individuals fascinated him. This image suggests that Degas was particularly drawn to Caron’s elongated, elegant arms. Here, fluid brushstrokes define the contours of her figure, silhouetted against a light background of brilliant reds, blues, yellows, greens, and browns. In this image, the artist positions the viewer as an observer of a typically private scene, possibly backstage. The cropped composition and slightly overhead view reflects the influence of Japanese prints on the artist, while the richly brushed surface and balanced hues are characteristic of his later, expressive style.