Study for a Portrait of Marguérite de Gas

The delicate yet precise drawing, Study for a Portrait of Marguérite de Gas by Edgar Degas French, 1834-1917, was executed circa 1859-1860. This preparatory work, formally classified as a drawing, showcases the young Degas’s intense study of line and form. Created using graphite on ivory wove paper, the subdued medium emphasizes the immediacy and careful observation required for academic portraiture. The subtle variations in pressure and shading articulate the contours of the face and the texture of the hair, demonstrating the meticulous attention to detail characteristic of his early output.

The subject of this intimate study is Marguérite de Gas (1842-1895), one of Degas's three sisters. During this important phase of his career, the artist, working primarily in France, was deeply engaged in mastering the traditions of classical and Renaissance portraiture, often utilizing family members as models. The style reveals a controlled academic precision, focusing intently on the sitter’s expression and pose to prepare for a more formal painted portrait. The resulting portrait, though known to exist, is currently held in a private collection.

The intensity of the gaze captured in this work highlights the crucial role of the detailed sketch process in nineteenth-century French artistic practice. This valuable drawing, which offers unique insight into the artist’s methodology and personal life, is preserved in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As this influential piece of art history nears eligibility for the public domain in many regions, high-quality reference photographs and fine art prints derived from this seminal early work are frequently studied by scholars worldwide.