Woman in a Blue Peignier with Bare Torso
circa 1887-1890
Degas captures a wonderfully candid moment here, showing a woman with her arms raised high, seemingly tying up her long, reddish hair. She is wrapped in a loose, cool-blue peignoir (dressing gown) that stands out vividly against the warm, fuzzy background of oranges and browns. This isn't a stiff, formal portrait; it feels like we’ve just peeked into a private room and caught her mid-routine. Degas was famous for painting women in these intimate, unguarded states—drying off, combing hair—treating them almost like animals in their natural habitat, a controversial but fascinating approach for the time.
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