Woman Drying Her Arm by Degas

Magnifying the quiet intimacy and mute grace of grooming, this delicate work by Degas Edgar, associated with the Impressionist movement, stands under the title of “Woman Drying Her Arm” among his pastels. The painter leaves the artificial lights of the theater to focus on the private and cozy space of a bedroom, capturing a moment of sacred rest. This composition bears witness to his unique ability to reveal the poetry hidden in the simple gestures of daily life.

The naked woman is depicted seated on a chaise-longue covered with a white sheet with crumpled folds, her body tilted three-quarters and in profile towards the right of the painting. She bends her blonde head downwards and stretches both of her open arms forward to seize a white cloth hanging in front of her on the far right of the room. On the left, the rounded back of the armchair is adorned with a golden-yellow fabric with red and green floral patterns. The background is a light wall decorated with beautiful, colorful and elegant impressionistic vertical strokes.

This work bears witness to the painter’s technical virtuosity in his delicate use of pastels. The artist uses light hatching and subtle blending to model the curves of the body and translate the softness of the skin with dazzling sensitivity and craftsmanship.