Leaving the Bath (La sortie du bain) c. 1879 - 1880

Edgar Degas made this print, "Leaving the Bath," using etching, a process involving metal, acid, and considerable skill. The image is built from a network of finely incised lines. Degas would have drawn through a waxy ground, exposing the metal plate beneath. This was then submerged in acid, biting away the exposed lines. The longer the plate remained in the acid, the deeper and darker the lines would become. Through careful control of this process, and likely burnishing some areas to lighten them, Degas achieved a full tonal range. The material of the print, and the labor involved, are essential to its meaning. Etching was a readily available commercial process. Degas elevates it, demonstrating his mastery. He took something reproducible and made it unique. It’s a wonderful example of how the so-called “minor” arts can rise to the level of “fine” art through sheer skill and vision.