Ruiters

Ruiters is an important drawing created by Edgar Degas in 1860. Executed using pencil and chalk on paper, this early work demonstrates Degas's foundational training and his emerging interest in capturing human figures in motion, a subject that would define his later Impressionist period.

Dating to the transitional years of the 1860s, the piece showcases the artist’s mastery of academic draughtsmanship before his definitive break from classical strictures. The medium combines the precision of pencil, used to define the core structures and outlines of the figures, with the subtle shading and atmospheric effects achievable through chalk. This contrast between meticulous line work and softer volume highlights the rigor of Degas's training.

Although the scene is not explicitly detailed, the subject of riders or horsemen foreshadows Degas's celebrated engagement with the modern world of racing and equestrian events. The work likely functioned as a preliminary study, allowing the artist to explore compositional options and anatomical challenges associated with capturing fast-paced action. Such drawings were central to Degas’s methodical process, enabling him to secure the dynamics of a moment before translating the idea into oil paint or pastels.

This refined drawing, Ruiters, provides valuable insight into Degas’s developing approach to modern subject matter. The piece is held within the esteemed collection of drawings at the Rijksmuseum. As a significant work from the artist’s early career, and often falling under public domain status due to its age, high-quality prints and reproductions of this crucial Edgar Degas drawing are widely available for scholarly study and public appreciation.