The False Start
ca. 1869-72
Degas was absolutely obsessed with horses and spent countless hours at racetracks sketching their movements. In this lively scene, he captures the awkward, split-second chaos of a 'false start,' where the foreground jockey has to violently pull his horse back while another rider surges ahead. The grandstand behind them is packed with fashionable Parisians, painted with loose, sketchy brushstrokes that make the whole scene feel like a fleeting snapshot of modern life.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
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