After the Bath (large version)

After the Bath (large version) by Edgar Degas French, 1834-1917, is a profound example of the artist's late nineteenth-century engagement with modern printmaking. Executed between 1891 and 1892, this intimate image was created using a complex, experimental process involving lithograph, transfer, and crayon in black, applied meticulously to ivory wove paper. This technique allowed Degas to achieve rich textural variation and atmospheric depth, blurring the traditional lines between drawing and mass-produced prints. The use of crayon within the lithographic matrix contributes a velvety quality to the shadows, enhancing the dimensionality of the figure.

The work continues Degas’s intense fascination, prevalent in his career in France, with the private routines of women, specifically the subject of the toilette. Unlike idealized mythological nudes common in academic art, this piece captures a spontaneous, unposed moment, emphasizing the figure’s form and posture as she tends to herself. Degas utilized the stark black-and-white contrast inherent in the lithograph to heighten the sense of volume and immediacy, focusing on the realistic dynamics of the human body rather than narrative spectacle.

As a definitive master of the fin de siècle printmaking tradition, Degas ensured that works like After the Bath documented his evolving artistic interests during a period of great technical innovation. The Art Institute of Chicago holds this significant example, which showcases the experimental approach the 1834-1917 artist took to creating sophisticated prints. While this piece remains a treasured part of the museum’s collection, reproductions of such historical works are often made available through public domain initiatives, allowing broader access to the masterful technical execution perfected by Degas.