Self-Portrait (Edgar Degas, par lui-même)

Self-Portrait (Edgar Degas, par lui-même) by Edgar Degas, executed in 1857, stands as a critical early example of the artist’s prolific, yet often overlooked, engagement with the medium of printmaking. This delicate piece is rendered using the demanding technique of etching on laid paper, demonstrating the young artist's foundational skills in graphic arts long before his widespread recognition as an Impressionist master. Created while Degas was still deeply dedicated to classical and academic methods, the work serves as a meticulous record of his self-perception as a serious, ambitious figure.

Unlike the dynamic compositions that would define his maturity, this self-portrait is reserved and classically structured. Degas presents himself in three-quarter profile, utilizing the precise linear qualities inherent in the etching process to define his features and convey a thoughtful, almost intense, gaze. The composition emphasizes the head and shoulders, placing the focus squarely on the psychological dimension of the subject. The style reflects the rigorous academic training that dominated the French art world during the critical period spanning 1851 to 1875, a time characterized by tension between established tradition and modernist experimentation.

This early print illustrates Degas's mastery of tonal control through line work, contrasting sharply defined areas with softer, carefully rendered shadows. His early fascination with rigorous portraiture laid the essential groundwork for the observational skills he would later apply to everyday scenes of Parisian life. As one of the foundational examples of his graphic output, the work provides valuable insight into Degas's evolving artistic identity before he became synonymous with the world of dancers and theatrical performance. This historically significant print is currently housed in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it contributes greatly to the understanding of mid-19th-century French art.