Après le bain c. 1896

This pastel by Degas captures a woman drying herself after a bath, her back turned, a moment of private ritual. The towel she clutches, a symbol of cleansing and renewal, echoes motifs found in ancient Roman bathhouses, where communal bathing was as much a social and political act as it was a hygienic one. Consider, too, how the act of bathing has been depicted across time. From classical sculptures of Venus emerging from the sea to Renaissance paintings of Susanna surprised at her bath, the female form in this intimate setting has held symbolic weight. Here, Degas strips away the mythological or moralistic narratives, focusing instead on the quotidian reality of a woman's ablutions. Yet, subconsciously, the act resonates with our collective memory of purification and transformation, engaging us on a level that transcends the mere observation of a mundane scene. This cycle of cleansing and rebirth echoes through the ages, evolving with each telling.