Achille De Gas in the Uniform of a Cadet 1856 - 1857

Edgar Degas rendered this portrait of his brother, Achille, in the uniform of a cadet, using oil paint on canvas. Degas’s technique is striking: energetic brushwork, particularly in the cadet’s face, which is deftly illuminated, the light seeming to hover on the surface. The subject is not treated with the realism of his uniform, which appears to be a product of industrial tailoring; the lines are more rigid, and the gold braid hints at luxury and status. This divergence shows the intersection of the individual and the wider economic system in which the cadet is implicated. While seemingly traditional, Degas’s distinctive style underscores the social context of the time, blurring the lines between representation and social commentary. In doing so, Degas invites us to consider the relationship between the art object, its subject, and the wider world.