Portrait of Rene De Gas 1855

Edgar Degas painted this oil on canvas portrait of his brother, Rene De Gas, sometime in the mid-19th century. The somber colors and the boy's formal attire speak to the conventions of bourgeois portraiture in France at that time. But while the painting might appear conventional at first glance, Degas was a member of the Impressionist movement, who sought to challenge the established norms of the French Salon system. The dark background and unidealized depiction of the boy is in keeping with the group’s tendency to buck the establishment. To further understand the context, scholars might look at exhibition reviews from the period to understand the social reaction to paintings like this one. We can also research the history of the De Gas family to learn more about the sitter, his social position, and the artist’s relationship to him. All of this contributes to our understanding of the painting.