Head of a Woman in Profile

"Head of a Woman in Profile" is a seminal print created by Edgar Degas between 1879 and 1880. The work is remarkable for its complex technical foundation, combining softground etching, aquatint, and drypoint applied to laid paper. This specific impression is unique, underscoring Degas’s experimental, hands-on approach to printmaking, which he viewed not merely as a reproductive process but as a primary medium for spontaneous artistic expression and drawing.

The subject, a woman captured purely in profile, is characteristic of Degas's lifelong fascination with observing figures in intimate, candid moments. Created during a period when the artist increasingly concentrated on the female form, this piece moves beyond conventional portraiture toward a study of form and line. Degas utilizes the deep, velvety tonality achieved through aquatint to establish the contours of the subject’s head and neck. The precise lines of drypoint likely serve to sharpen specific features and define the texture of the hair, enhancing the immediacy of the profile view and demonstrating the complexity inherent in his graphic oeuvre.

This piece exemplifies the technical mastery Degas brought to his prints and stands as an exceptional example of late nineteenth-century graphic art. It captures both the delicacy of the subject matter and the intensity of the artist's profound observation. This rare and important piece is currently held in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is available for scholars and the public.