Leaving the Bath

Leaving the Bath is a significant print created by the French master Edgar Degas (1834-1917) between 1879 and 1880. This piece is executed primarily in drypoint and aquatint on ivory laid paper, showcasing Degas's dedication to graphic experimentation during this pivotal phase of his career. Although often recognized for his pastels and oils, Degas was a prolific printmaker who harnessed etching and tonal techniques to explore subtle shifts in light and sharp linear definition. Unlike many of his Impressionist contemporaries who favored landscape or public scenes, Degas focused almost exclusively on the intimate, unidealized aspects of contemporary life drawn from the private sphere.

The subject matter places this work firmly within Degas's enduring fascination with the toilette, depicting a woman completing her bath or drying herself. Such scenes emphasize posture, movement, and the geometry of the figure rather than an explicit narrative. The combination of aquatint and drypoint was essential to achieving this effect; the aquatint lends a soft, velvety texture to the shadows, contrasting sharply with the drypoint lines that articulate the figure’s form and the surrounding environment. This dedication to capturing fleeting domestic moments was central to late 19th-century Parisian art in France. The work currently resides in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. The study of these sophisticated prints provides invaluable insight into Degas's complex technique and confirms his mastery of the graphic arts, making this essential viewing for those interested in historical public domain collections and the technical processes of Impressionism.