After the Bath III

After the Bath III by Edgar Degas (French, 1834-1917) is a powerful example of the artist’s sustained interest in capturing the private, unposed moments of the female nude. Created between 1891 and 1892, this complex image is a lithograph printed in black on cream wove paper, demonstrating Degas's technical experimentation with the print medium late in his career. The rich, dense black ink and the grainy texture inherent in lithography lend the subject a palpable weight and immediacy, akin to a drawing executed in charcoal.

Degas was a key figure in French art who broke from academic traditions, choosing instead to observe women engaged in ordinary, unidealized domestic tasks. Here, the figure is observed in a private moment immediately following her ablutions, emphasizing the natural curve and movement of the body. The dramatic contrast between light and shadow highlights the contours of the form, while the surrounding environment remains intentionally ambiguous, drawing the viewer’s focus entirely to the intimate act.

This work belongs to an important series of prints and pastels where Degas systematically explored the theme of the bath and the toilette. While celebrated for his painted canvases, the artist produced some of his most innovative compositions using printmaking techniques like lithography and monotype. His exploration of women’s lives behind the closed doors of late nineteenth-century France provided a revolutionary perspective on modern subject matter. Today, high-resolution images of such historic prints are often available through the public domain. After the Bath III currently resides in the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.