After the Bath II

After the Bath II is a seminal example of the late career printmaking of Edgar Degas French, 1834-1917. Executed around 1891-1892, this delicate work is a lithograph printed in black on white wove paper. Although primarily known for his achievements in painting and pastel, Degas dedicated significant effort during the 1890s to the demanding medium of lithography. This technical endeavor allowed him to explore the full range of tonal possibilities inherent in graphic media, moving away from the bright palettes associated with earlier Impressionism and focusing instead on deep contrast, shadow, and expressive texture.

The subject belongs to Degas’s extensive series of intimate scenes depicting women engaged in private ablutions, often referred to as the toilette series. Unlike idealized classical representations, the figure in After the Bath II is observed without artifice, caught in a natural, unposed movement. This particular print exemplifies the artist’s commitment to recording candid moments of domestic life in fin-de-siècle France. The dense, scribbled lines and the profound shadows utilized by Degas in this phase of his prints emphasize the physicality and solitude of the figure, positioning the observer as a detached witness to the rituals of privacy rather than an invited viewer.

This important piece of graphic art, classified formally as a print, showcases Degas’s sustained mastery of both form and complex technical processes late in his life. The historical relevance of the impression is preserved within the esteemed permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, making it a critical reference point for understanding the breadth of the artist's engagement with the complexities of the black-and-white medium. The exploration of these domestic themes by the artist firmly established him as an unparalleled observer of the French private sphere.