Gentlemen Jockeys before the Start 1862

Editor: This is "Gentlemen Jockeys before the Start" by Edgar Degas, painted around 1862 using oil on canvas. I’m struck by the contrast between the vibrant colors of the jockeys and the almost muted background. How do you interpret the use of color and composition in this piece? Curator: The painting presents a compelling study in contrasts, primarily through its structured composition and chromatic relationships. Note how Degas divides the canvas almost horizontally, the lower register dominated by the dark, warm tones of the horses and riders. The positioning of the figures in the foreground creates a screen that immediately thrusts forward toward the picture plane, almost stifling the viewers' ability to comfortably view the picture. Editor: I see what you mean about the division of the canvas. How does that relate to the subject matter? Curator: Consider the upper register: a blend of muted greens and greys that evoke a sense of atmosphere, an encroaching sense of industrialization with the suggestion of factories along the horizon, belching black smoke. Ask yourself: how do these formal arrangements work to create, deny, or complicate a sensation of depth in this "plein-air" work? What commentary might it provide through that visual sensation? Editor: That's an interesting point. I hadn't really considered how the formal elements might be commenting on industrialization through this particular lens. It does seem to be contrasting these... gentlemen... with their "sport," against a horizon already consumed by the "contemporary." Curator: Precisely. The interplay of form, color, and subject positions Degas within a critical discourse. Considering the interplay of the near and far enriches our experience of his aesthetic project. Editor: Thanks. I am taking that observation with me!