The Infanta Margarita, after Velázquez

The Infanta Margarita, after Velázquez is a rare and early print created by Edgar Degas between 1856 and 1866. This meticulous study, which captures the likeness of the famous Spanish royal subject, is rendered using the combination of etching and drypoint, techniques Degas would later employ extensively in his mature graphic work. Notably, this impression, which is part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is the only known surviving example of the second state of two, underscoring the experimental nature of Degas’s practice during his formative years.

During this period, Degas often utilized the exacting process of copying Old Master works, particularly the Spanish portraits of Diego Velázquez, to refine his skills in composition, line, and light. The choice of the young girl, Infanta Margarita, as a subject allowed Degas to focus on the intricate details of 17th-century court dress while translating the painterly surface of the original oil into the linear quality inherent to graphic arts. The drypoint technique, which leaves a soft, rich burr on the copper plate, lends subtle tonal variation to the portrait, contrasting with the precise lines of the etching.

This foundational effort in reproductive printmaking provides essential insight into Degas's technical journey before his association with the Impressionist movement. The detailed nature of the portrait demonstrates Degas’s early commitment to mastering the graphic arts, a pursuit that yielded some of the most innovative prints of the 19th century. Given its age and historical importance within the history of copying Old Masters, this work is frequently studied alongside other influential Infanta Margarita interpretations available through art reference sites and institutional public domain archives.