Two Seated Women (verso)

The intimate study, Two Seated Women (verso), created by Edgar Degas between 1856 and 1860, is a foundational example of the artist's developing skill in figure drawing. This work, executed simply in black crayon, classifies as a spontaneous drawing, likely an early academic study or sketch rather than a finished composition. The use of the verso (reverse side of a sheet) indicates the economy of material common in preparatory works, allowing the artist to maximize the use of available paper while focusing on anatomical details and posture.

Produced during a critical transitional period in Degas's career, this piece reflects the high standard of figure study maintained within the French artistic tradition of the mid-19th century. Although Degas is famously recognized for his later scenes of dancers and modern Parisian life, this earlier drawing period saw him meticulously practicing the fundamentals of anatomy. The careful arrangement of the two figures demonstrates Degas's commitment to capturing naturalistic poses and volumetric depth using economical lines and strong contours achievable with the black crayon medium.

As a vital component of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s renowned collection of works on paper, this drawing offers valuable insight into the immediate hand and working method of the influential French master. Although many of Degas’s more famous prints and completed compositions are widely circulated in the public domain today, works like this early sketch reveal the intense preliminary observation that grounded all of his subsequent paintings and sculptures. This early work solidifies Degas’s reputation as a draftsman of exceptional observational ability.