The Riders

"The Riders," painted by Edgar Degas in 1885, is an exemplary oil on canvas that captures the artist’s persistent investigation into movement and the psychology of the human figure in motion. Created during the period spanning 1876 to 1900, this work epitomizes the modernist transition occurring within French art, utilizing a traditional subject matter, equestrian figures, but treating it with radical, spontaneous composition.

Degas, who preferred the appellation "Realist" to "Impressionist," often sought subjects that allowed him to explore precise, fleeting moments of action, whether among dancers, laundresses, or, as seen here, riders. This painting focuses on the dynamics of the figures and their mounts rather than a specific event, suggesting the energy of a race or morning exercise. The oil medium allows Degas to use broad, deliberate strokes, building up the texture and atmosphere of the scene. Unlike some of his highly finished pastels or drawings, this canvas presents a looser, more generalized study of form and light.

Degas masterfully employs high-angle viewpoints and tightly cropped framing, techniques borrowed from Japanese ukiyo-e prints and the then-emerging art of photography. This creates a sense of immediacy and removes the scene from conventional narrative structure, drawing the viewer’s eye directly to the central figures of the riders and their horses. It is this analytical approach to composition that distinguishes Degas’s work within the wider Impressionist movement.

As an important piece by the French master, the painting demonstrates Degas's continuing preoccupation with capturing the complexities of modern life. The canvas is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it remains a crucial example of late 19th-century observational painting. Due to its historical significance and age, high-quality prints of this work often circulate in the public domain, making the genius of Degas accessible to students and scholars worldwide.