Edouard Manet at the Races

Description

In Édouard Manet at the Races, Degas turns a public outing into an informal portrait of a fellow artist. Manet stands in profile, his hat and beard making the head distinct above the lightly drawn suit. His hands gather near the waist, while the pale surrounding paper leaves much of the setting unstated. Graphite and black chalk preserve the figure with the closeness of a passing observation.

Degas made the study around 1868–69, when horse racing had become a popular Parisian spectacle. The Met notes that both he and Manet painted the sport, and suggests that this sketch may have been made with a painting in mind. That possibility remains tentative. What is certain is the portrait’s unusual setting: the artist appears as a participant in contemporary life, with the quick intimacy of drawing preserving him within the larger scene.

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