Mlle Bécat at the Café des Ambassadeurs, Paris 1877 - 1878

"Mlle Bécat at the Café des Ambassadeurs, Paris" is a monotype by Edgar Degas, created between 1877 and 1878. The artwork, currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, depicts a woman, possibly a cafe waitress, standing at a table in the cafe. Degas's use of monotype, a technique involving printing from an inked plate, creates a unique and evocative atmosphere, blurring the lines between drawing and painting. The composition's focus on the woman, partially obscured by the table and the cafe's interior, emphasizes the intimate and candid nature of the scene, characteristic of Degas's exploration of modern life and the working class.