René de Gas
1855
Edgar Degas painted this portrait of his younger brother René when he was just 21 years old, long before he became famous for his Impressionist ballerinas and racehorses. The young boy's wide-eyed, slightly melancholic stare and formal black suit give him an almost timeless, serious air that contrasts with his youth. It's a fascinating glimpse into Degas's early academic training, showing a level of realistic detail he would later abandon for looser, more dynamic styles. You can almost see the strict, classical rules of art school in every brushstroke, a far cry from the blurry, energetic scenes he'd create later in life.
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