Young Spartans Exercising 1860

Edgar Degas made this painting, Young Spartans Exercising, with oil on canvas. Degas was a master of observing human movement, and here he’s using that skill to show the rituals of ancient Sparta, which valued physical strength and discipline above all. Look closely, and you can see how Degas built up the figures with layers of paint, almost like a sculptor working with clay. The loose brushwork gives the scene a sense of energy and immediacy, as if we’re right there in the middle of the action. The painting feels unfinished, which was typical of Degas, and gives the sense of capturing a fleeting moment in time. But beyond the surface, there’s a deeper social commentary at play. Degas was fascinated by the human body and the ways it could be trained and controlled. By depicting these young Spartans engaged in rigorous exercise, he’s also commenting on the power dynamics inherent in systems of education and social control. This is an example of how paying attention to materials and techniques can reveal new depths in even the most familiar works of art.