Young Woman with Her Hand over Her Mouth 1870 - 1880

Edgar Degas' "Young Woman with Her Hand over Her Mouth" (1870 - 1880) is a portrait painting capturing the subtle gesture of a woman covering her mouth. The intimate, almost secretive quality of the scene is accentuated by the woman's downcast gaze and the soft, muted tones of the composition, characteristic of Degas' later works. The loose brushstrokes and unfinished areas of the painting, particularly in the background, hint at the artist's fascination with capturing fleeting moments and exploring the complexities of human expression. The painting is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.