Portrait of Hortense Valpinçon (Mme. Jacques Fourchy)

Description

In Portrait of Hortense Valpinçon, Degas defines a head and neck in profile against pale paper. The sitter faces left, her pulled-back hair emphasizing the outline of the forehead, nose, and chin. Black conté crayon gives different weights to the dark hair and the more lightly described face. The spare setting keeps attention close to these contrasts, making the portrait an encounter with a particular presence rather than an elaborate arrangement.

Degas made the drawing in 1883. Its title identifies Hortense Valpinçon, also known as Madame Jacques Fourchy, keeping the person at the center of the work. Rather than building a portrait around objects that announce a sitter’s position, he works through the face itself. The drawing’s restraint gives each mark a particular responsibility: to describe a form, suggest light, or bring the expression into focus without overwhelming the simplicity of the sheet.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Edgar Degas collection.