Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait is an intimate print created by Edgar Degas in 1857, capturing the artist during his formative years. This specific impression is rendered in etching and bitten tone, demonstrating Degas's early commitment to mastering varied technical processes outside of painting. It is cataloged as the second state of four, reflecting the iterative process inherent to intaglio printmaking, where the artist continually reworks the plate to refine line quality and tonal balance.

Executed when Degas was only 23, this self-portrait predates his deep association with the Impressionist movement. The work showcases a powerful academic approach to draftsmanship, typical of the period when the artist focused intently on classical studio training and detailed studies of men. The resulting image offers a direct, introspective gaze, revealing the disciplined young man before he became the revolutionary chronicler of Parisian life.

This piece is a crucial example of Degas’s experimentation with media. While etching allowed for precise contours, the use of bitten tone provides subtle variations in shading, granting the print a visual depth often associated with drypoint. Degas’s early efforts in printmaking were often reserved for personal expression, making the self-portraits created in this medium highly significant records of his artistic development. This definitive print resides within the esteemed collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of its age and importance to the history of graphic arts, high-resolution prints of this early work are often available through public domain archives, ensuring wide accessibility to one of Degas's most revealing self-depictions.