[Self-Portrait with Christine and Yvonne Lerolle] 1895 - 1896

This is a photograph, "Self-Portrait with Christine and Yvonne Lerolle", made by Edgar Degas. The photograph, like much of Degas's work, provides an intriguing view into the social circles of the Parisian elite during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Lerolle sisters were the daughters of the painter and collector Henry Lerolle, a friend and supporter of Degas. The photograph thus captures a moment of bourgeois intimacy, but it also speaks to the power dynamics inherent in such relationships. Degas's choice of photography as a medium is itself revealing. Photography was still a relatively new technology at the time, and its use by established artists like Degas suggests a willingness to experiment with new forms of representation. It challenges traditional notions of artistic skill and authorship. To fully understand the image, one would need to research the social and cultural context in which it was made, examining the role of photography in late 19th-century France, as well as the relationships between artists, collectors, and their families. This would allow a richer appreciation of the complex social and institutional forces that shaped its creation.