The Road (La route)

The Road (La route), created by Edgar Degas between 1878 and 1880, exemplifies the artist’s intensely experimental approach to printmaking during this period. This unique artwork is a monotype rendered on delicate China paper, a choice that highlights the inherent textural qualities of the medium. The monotype process, which involves drawing directly onto a plate and yielding only one or two impressions, appealed greatly to Degas due to its immediacy and its ability to create velvety blacks and subtle, atmospheric tonal variations. This technique allowed him to bridge traditional drawing methods with the richness of painting, focusing heavily on light, shadow, and line.

The subject matter, an evocative rendering of a seemingly open road receding rapidly into the distance, suggests movement or a momentary pause captured against a stark background. While Degas is often associated with the intimate life of Parisian dancers, his monotypes frequently ventured into landscape and genre scenes, offering stark, often melancholic views that deviated significantly from the Impressionist preference for sunlit outdoor scenes. This focus on abstract space and rapid execution positions Degas as a vital figure in French art history during the period spanning 1876 to 1900.

As one of his essential explorations in the field of modern prints, this piece provides valuable insight into Degas’s technical genius outside of his more commonly known oil paintings. The work, recognized for both its historical importance and its technical innovation, is currently housed in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Because of the age and provenance of this particular print, high-resolution images are often made available through public domain initiatives, fostering continued scholarly study of this foundational aspect of Degas’s oeuvre.