Woman Combing Her Hair by Degas

Revealing a hushed sensuality and a bold harmony of colors, this flamboyant work by Degas Edgar, associated with the Impressionist movement, stands under the title of “Woman Combing Her Hair” among his series of nudes. The painter acts here as a discreet observer of an intimate moment of grooming, capturing the natural grace of a simple pose without any artificiality. This composition perfectly illustrates his unique ability to renew the representation of the female nude by favoring daily truth.

The naked woman is depicted from behind in the center of the canvas, seated on a vaporous, extremely comfortable and soft white blanket arranged on the floor. She raises both of her arms high above her head, her hands busy combing or gathering her long, flamboyant copper-red hair cascading over her shoulders and back. Soft light from the left gently illuminates her silhouette and sculpts the curves of her body. The background is composed of a highly colorful impressionist decor with vertical touches of orange and green on the left, and dark cobalt blue and yellow on the right.

This work celebrates the artist’s craftsmanship through a masterly use of pastel. The artist uses dense and vibrant hatching to give relief to the flesh and create a texture of great chromatic richness, bearing witness to an exceptional technical mastery.