Two Heads of a Woman
1900
Edgar Degas uses warm red chalk to sketch two female heads, creating a striking contrast between the calm, forward-facing woman on the left and the hurried, profile view on the right. That splash of green pastel on the hat adds a sudden pop of color to the otherwise earthy tones, hinting at the fashion of the time. This piece, likely a study from around 1900, shows how the artist was experimenting with form and expression even as his eyesight began to fail. You can almost see him working out the angles, capturing a fleeting moment of life with the loose, energetic strokes that define his later Impressionist style.
- Technique
- Red chalk and pastel
- Material
- Paper