Portrait of Virginie Cardinal's Favorite, the Actor Crochard (illustration for La Famille Cardinal by Ludovic Halévy)

Portrait of Virginie Cardinal's Favorite, the Actor Crochard (illustration for La Famille Cardinal by Ludovic Halévy) by Edgar Degas is a singular example of the artist's deep involvement with graphic arts during the period 1875-1885. The work was created using the labor-intensive monotype technique, where black ink is applied directly to a plate and then transferred to laid paper under pressure, making each resulting image unique. Degas would often rework these prints, creating varying states that showcase his technical mastery and improvisational skill with the medium.

This piece functions as a study for the illustrated edition of La Famille Cardinal, a collection of satirical sketches by the writer Ludovic Halévy concerning the lives of a fictional family involved in the Parisian theatrical world. Degas, known for his incisive portraits, uses the character of Crochard to explore the male subject in an informal context, capturing the specific temperament of an actor away from the stage lights. His collaboration with Halévy provided the artist with rich material to document the complexities of 19th-century Parisian bourgeois life.

The informal composition and focus on personality over grandeur typify the era's turn toward Realism. Degas’s swift, evocative line work in black ink lends a dramatic contrast and immediacy to the portrait. This important example of Impressionist printmaking resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of its historical significance and inclusion in major museum collections, high-resolution documentation of this work is frequently accessible through public domain art initiatives.