Leaving the Bath

Leaving the Bath by Edgar Degas French, 1834-1917, is a powerful example of the artist's dedication to printmaking during the late 19th century. Created between 1879 and 1880, this work utilizes the demanding and complex combination of drypoint and aquatint, executed on cream laid paper. While known primarily for his paintings and pastels, Degas viewed his extensive graphic output as a laboratory for exploring light, texture, and movement through various etching techniques. The drypoint allows for sharp, precise, drawn lines, while the aquatint provides varied tonal washes, expertly generating depth and shadow around the central figure.

This print captures a profoundly private and unposed moment, a characteristic theme in Degas’s toilette series, which focused on women engaged in intimate domestic rituals like washing and drying. Unlike the idealized classical nudes favored by his academic contemporaries, the figure in Leaving the Bath is observed candidly, reflecting the artist’s commitment to naturalism and observation of contemporary life. This focus on domestic scenes was a significant development in modern art in France during the 1870s and 1880s, placing the work squarely within the context of Impressionist-era innovation.

The resulting image exhibits a profound textural quality, underscoring Degas’s technical mastery over the challenges inherent in the prints medium. The scarcity and delicacy of such works reinforce their importance in the history of graphic arts. Today, this essential piece of French art resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, illustrating the Impressionist master's innovative approach to line, form, and composition.