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Lot Essay
In a letter of 17 December 2006, Professor Theodore Reff stated his opinion that this drawing is by the hand of Edgar Degas.
Both in subject and style, the present lot is altogether characteristic of the drawings Degas made early in his career, and more specifically in 1856-1857, at the beginning of his first trip to Italy. It closely resembles several drawings in a sketchbook he used in Naples and Rome between July 1856 and early 1857 (see Notebook in T. Reff, The Notebooks of Edgar Degas, vol. II, Oxford, 1976).
The style of this drawing, with clearly but softly outlined forms, smoothly rounded, and quasi-geometric volumes, and shading produced by finely spaced parallel strokes (a style inspired by Ingres's drawings, like much of Degas's work at that time), confirms a dating of 1856-1857.
Both in subject and style, the present lot is altogether characteristic of the drawings Degas made early in his career, and more specifically in 1856-1857, at the beginning of his first trip to Italy. It closely resembles several drawings in a sketchbook he used in Naples and Rome between July 1856 and early 1857 (see Notebook in T. Reff, The Notebooks of Edgar Degas, vol. II, Oxford, 1976).
The style of this drawing, with clearly but softly outlined forms, smoothly rounded, and quasi-geometric volumes, and shading produced by finely spaced parallel strokes (a style inspired by Ingres's drawings, like much of Degas's work at that time), confirms a dating of 1856-1857.