Self-Portrait

The Self-Portrait by Edgar Degas French, 1834-1917, executed in 1857, offers an early glimpse into the artistic introspection of the celebrated master. This early work is classified as a print, specifically an etching rendered in black ink on ivory laid paper. Although Degas is primarily known for his pastels and paintings documenting Parisian life later in his career, he frequently experimented with printmaking techniques from the 1850s onward, viewing the etching plate as an essential tool for formal investigation. The delicate lines and tonal contrasts inherent in this medium allowed the young artist to explore self-representation with a depth that complements his contemporaneous pencil drawings.

Created when Degas was just twenty-three, the image captures a serious and direct gaze. While the artist’s mature career would eventually bridge the gap between academic drawing and Impressionism, this self-study firmly anchors itself within the tenets of mid-century Realism prevalent in France. The stark rendering eschews romantic idealization, focusing instead on the honest depiction of the subject’s form and character. The print shows Degas presenting himself not as a glamorous figure, but as an earnest student of art, reflecting the period’s emphasis on observable reality. This technical discipline helped 1834-1917 develop the strong foundational drawing skills that would underpin his later innovations.

This early print is significant as it provides crucial insight into the formative years of one of France’s most important artists. Degas would continue to produce numerous highly experimental prints throughout his life, using the complexity of the etching process to capture movement and texture. Today, this important piece of art history resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, offering scholars and the public an intimate view of the young master’s command of drypoint and etching techniques. Works such as these, often available in the public domain for research, underscore the lasting influence of the Realism period on subsequent artistic movements.