At the Cirque Fernando

At the Cirque Fernando, executed in 1879 by Edgar Degas French, 1834-1917, is a lithograph in black on white wove paper, exemplifying the artist's intense focus on modern Parisian entertainment and his masterful experimentation with graphic arts. While many of his Impressionist colleagues prioritized painting, Degas dedicated significant effort to printmaking, seeking ways to render movement and ephemeral light effects through line and tone. The use of lithography allowed the artist to build deep blacks and dramatic contrasts, perfectly suited to capturing the electric atmosphere of the late 19th-century performance halls in France.

Unlike conventional portraiture or landscape painting, Degas frequently depicted controlled, interior environments like the ballet, café-concerts, and the circus. This piece likely captures a scene from the famous Cirque Fernando, a subject that offered Degas the opportunity to explore complex lighting, unusual spatial arrangements, and the subtle relationships between performers and their audience. The composition utilizes the sharp cropping and elevated viewpoints characteristic of Degas’s mature style, echoing the spontaneity and fragmented perception associated with modern life.

This powerful print confirms Degas’s importance as a leading graphic artist of his generation. Such prints were instrumental in developing the aesthetics of the period and helped solidify the reputation of 1834-1917 as a pioneering observer of contemporary culture. Classified simply as a print, this masterful work remains an essential example of French graphic arts and is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.