Portrait of Madame Dietz-Monnin 1874 - 1884

Edgar Degas made this portrait of Madame Dietz-Monnin using charcoal and pastel on paper. Looking at this French artwork from the late 19th century, it's hard not to consider the social structures of its time. Degas's choice of subject, a woman of apparent wealth and status, speaks to the societal focus on the bourgeoisie during that period. The loose, sketch-like quality of the drawing might be seen as a challenge to the traditional, highly finished portraits favored by the art establishment. Degas seems to capture a fleeting moment, an impression rather than a formal representation. He was associated with the Impressionists but maintained a critical distance from the institutional structures that promoted their art. To fully appreciate this portrait, we can consult historical sources, like letters, exhibition reviews, and social histories, to understand the complex interplay of art, class, and social change in 19th-century France. Art, after all, never exists in a vacuum.