Before the Race

"Before the Race," created by Edgar Degas between 1887 and 1889, is a powerful example of the artist’s late-career fascination with motion and preparatory moments. This highly finished work is classified as a drawing, executed primarily in pastel applied over a charcoal underdrawing on tracing paper, which was subsequently mounted onto cardboard for preservation. Degas, a pivotal figure in 19th-century French art, consistently explored subjects drawn from modern Parisian life, ranging from ballet dancers and café scenes to the dynamic world of horse racing.

In this piece, Degas captures the nervous energy and restrained power just before a competition. The composition focuses on the jockeys and their mounts, often viewed from an elevated or cropped perspective, creating an intimate, almost voyeuristic, moment of contemplation rather than action. The unique properties of pastel allow Degas to achieve vibrant, diffused color and rapid, expressive delineation, highlighting the speed and athleticism of the subjects. Unlike the instantaneous plein air impressions favored by some contemporaries in France, Degas relied on calculated compositions and the subtle psychological states of his figures. The meticulous detail in the charcoal underdrawing, often visible beneath the colorful pastel surface, showcases the artist's rigorous classical training combined with his innovative approach to materials.

This stunning work demonstrates Degas’s technical mastery of the medium and his commitment to depicting unconventional viewpoints within the equestrian genre. The drawing currently resides in the esteemed collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it serves as a key example of late Impressionist and Post-Impressionist drafting techniques. Although the original work is a fragile artifact, the legacy of works like Before the Race ensures that the artist’s vision remains accessible through public domain resources and high-quality prints distributed worldwide.