At the Cafe des Ambassadeurs 1885

Edgar Degas made 'At the Café des Ambassadeurs' using pastels, a medium that perfectly suits the fleeting, shimmering atmosphere he captured. Unlike oil paint, which can be blended and reworked almost endlessly, pastel demands a more immediate approach. The artist must commit to each stroke, building up layers of pigment to create depth and texture. You can almost feel the grainy texture of the pastel on the paper, as if you could brush it with your fingertips. It is a medium of immediacy, linked to the kind of direct observation that was crucial for the Impressionists. Pastel was often considered a 'feminine' medium, seen as less serious than oil paint. But Degas embraced it, pushing its boundaries and demonstrating its potential for capturing modern life. His choice reflects a broader interest in breaking down the traditional hierarchy between fine art and more informal, 'minor' modes of expression. It's a wonderful example of how material choice can embody an artist’s wider ambitions.