Seated Woman in Bonnet and Shawl

Seated Woman in Bonnet and Shawl by Edgar Degas, executed during the experimental period between 1874 and 1884, is a complex print created using a challenging combination of aquatint, drypoint, and etching techniques. This extended timeframe underscores the artist's dedication to perfecting the medium, often working and reworking his plates until he achieved the desired effect of light and texture.

The subject is typical of Degas’s fascination with unposed, intimate depictions of women observed in moments of private contemplation or domesticity. The prominent features, including the large bonnet and heavy shawl, emphasize contemporary late-19th-century fashion and allow Degas to showcase his masterful rendering of folded fabrics and drapery. Unlike his dynamic scenes of ballet dancers or racing horses, this work captures a quiet intensity, focusing on the psychological presence of the sitter.

The technical complexity is underscored by the indication that this impression was pulled from a canceled plate, a practice often used to finalize an edition and prevent future unauthorized prints. Degas meticulously utilized the rough, velvety lines inherent to drypoint alongside the subtle tonal transitions achievable through aquatint. Through these combined techniques, he created an atmospheric quality, utilizing deep shadows and focused highlights to illuminate the subject's face and clothing. This important example of Degas’s prints from a transitional period in his career is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.