Marie Dihau (1843–1935)
1867-68
Edgar Degas captured his friend Marie Dihau in this intimate 1867 portrait, showing her in profile with a sharp, almost sculptural face against a loose, sketchy background. She sits at a table with a plate of food and a vibrant, patterned bag, looking completely lost in thought while wearing a stylish black hat and veil. Degas often painted musicians and performers from the Parisian scene, and this piece highlights his early fascination with capturing candid, unposed moments of modern life just before Impressionism fully took off. It's a great example of how he blended realistic detail with the energetic brushstrokes that would define his later career.
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