The Jockey
c. 1885-1900
Degas was absolutely obsessed with horses, producing hundreds of sketches to capture their anatomy and movement in ways photography couldn't quite catch yet. Here, he skips the traditional heroic profile and gives us a candid view from behind, focusing on the powerful haunches of the horse and the jockey's relaxed, almost slumped posture. It feels less like a formal portrait and more like a quick snapshot taken at the racetrack. The red 'Degas' stamp at the bottom isn't his actual signature, but a studio mark added after his death to authenticate the thousands of drawings found cluttering his apartment.
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