Jockeys
circa 1887-1889
Degas was absolutely obsessed with capturing the fleeting moments of horse racing, and this sketch shows his process in action. You can see him working out the pose of a jockey, switching between dark charcoal for the profile view on the left and a striking blue crayon for the front-facing figures. It's like peeking into his sketchbook as he tries to get the perfect stance before the big race. The loose, energetic lines perfectly capture the anticipation and movement of the track, proving that sometimes the rough draft is just as powerful as the final painting.
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