Waiting

"Waiting" is a seminal print created by the French master Edgar Degas (1834-1917) sometime between 1874 and 1884. This exceptional work utilizes the challenging and highly experimental technique of the monotype, executed using blackish-brown ink on delicate grayish-ivory china paper. Degas favored the monotype medium because its immediacy and inherent unpredictability allowed him to capture fleeting moments and atmospheric effects unlike traditional etching or lithography. The resulting dark, rich tones and fluid, often ambiguous lines are characteristic of the artist's explorations into graphic media during this period.

Degas's engagement with the monotype process during this decade reflects his broader artistic concerns surrounding observation, movement, and modern life in France. Unlike many of his Impressionist colleagues, Degas focused less on luminous landscapes and more on the private, often mundane, actions of individuals removed from public view. While the exact subject matter of Waiting is subtle, the technique itself, which yields a shadowy, tonal impression, often suggests the interior spaces or backstage settings that the artist frequently captured.

Classified as a print, the unique nature of the monotype means that this impression is essentially singular, a crucial distinction from traditional editioned prints. Degas occasionally used the resulting impression as a starting point for pastels or other modifications, but this work stands on its own as a definitive statement of his mastery. The lasting power of these graphic works secures Degas’s reputation as a leading innovator in 19th-century French art. This significant piece is held within the esteemed permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Created within the era, this artwork has entered the public domain, ensuring broad accessibility for future scholars studying Degas’s diverse output of prints.