On Stage III

On Stage III by Edgar Degas French, 1834-1917, is a refined example of the artist’s prolific engagement with printmaking during the 1870s. Executed between 1876 and 1877, this complex work is a print created through a combination of soft ground etching, drypoint, and roulette on cream laid paper. Degas consistently experimented with etching techniques, often combining them within a single plate to achieve rich textures and tonal complexity that mirrored the spontaneity found in his oil paintings.

The subject of On Stage III reflects Degas’s defining fascination with the modern life of Paris, specifically focusing on the dancers and the working environment of the opera house. Rather than depicting the idealized performance, this piece captures a candid, internal moment of the stage world. The application of drypoint provides sharp, velvety lines, while the roulette creates fields of densely stippled tone, enhancing the dramatic contrast of light and shadow characteristic of the stage environment in 19th-century France.

Degas's mastery of the graphic arts allowed him to explore movement and atmosphere, elements crucial to his realist approach. This piece is classified as a print, serving as an important record of the artist's inventive methods within intaglio practice. The work resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, illustrating a pivotal moment in the development of French modern art. Today, high-resolution images of such historic prints are frequently contributed to the public domain, ensuring widespread access to the legacy of this influential master.