Woman in Bath, Washing Leg by Degas

Penetrating the confined intimacy of a Parisian washroom, this highly daring work by Degas Edgar, associated with the Impressionist movement, stands under the title of “Woman in Bath, Washing Leg” within his production. The artist abandons academic idealization to capture a common, daily gesture with uncompromising honesty. This painting illustrates his desire to seize the truth of the human body in its pure materiality, far from any theatrical artifice.

The woman is depicted in profile in her grey zinc bathtub which extends horizontally in the center of the composition. Her head, with brown hair tied up in a bun, is located on the right, while she raises her left leg high towards the left side of the canvas to wash it actively. She holds her leg with both hands, her body half-immersed in the clear water. On the far left, the curved wooden back of a chair is visible, while a large yellow wooden chest of drawers stands in the center background. The right background wall is covered with green wallpaper.

This work demonstrates the artist’s craftsmanship through a highly refined pictorial technique. The painter uses rapid brushstrokes and subtle color contrasts to translate the transparency of the water and the materiality of the flesh with remarkable realism, power and beauty.