Gentleman Rider

Gentleman Rider is a drawing created by Edgar Degas French, 1834-1917, during the transitional period of 1866-1870. This refined preparatory work, classified as a drawing, exemplifies Degas’s experimental mastery of unconventional mediums and supports, capturing a subject central to his career: the life and movement of modern Paris.

The artist utilized a complex combination of techniques for this study. The primary structure was laid down using graphite, providing a crisp, descriptive line. This line work was then subtly modulated by traces of brushwork and highlights of opaque white gouache, creating depth and suggesting light sources. Notably, Degas chose pink wove paper as his ground, a distinctive and warm color that permeates the entire composition, contributing significantly to its unique tone before the sheet was subsequently laid down on a cream board for stability.

The subject matter, the solitary mounted gentleman, aligns with the artist's intense focus on the leisure class in 19th-century France. Although internationally renowned for his depictions of ballet dancers and laundresses, Degas dedicated considerable energy to scenes of modern equestrianism and racing, themes popular among the Parisian elite. The precision and attention to anatomical detail in the figure and horse demonstrate his academic training, even as his interest shifted toward the fleeting moments of contemporary urban life. Reflecting the rigor of the French drawing tradition, this work offers profound insight into the preparatory methods of the Impressionist era master. The drawing is a distinguished component of the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.