Woman Arranging Her Hair c. 1880 - 1962

Degas made this bronze sculpture, Woman Arranging Her Hair, at some point in his career. The texture is what gets me first: the way the light catches all those little bumps and ridges on the surface. You can almost feel the artist’s hands working the clay, building up the form bit by bit. Looking closer, you see how the whole figure seems to twist and turn, a single, fluid gesture frozen in time. The curve of her back, the way her arms reach up to her hair - it’s all so dynamic and full of energy. It's a dance, a fleeting moment of intimacy and self-care. Degas was obsessed with movement, with capturing the fleeting, ephemeral nature of life, a bit like Rodin. I love how he embraces the imperfections, the little quirks and irregularities that make the sculpture feel so alive and human. Art isn’t about perfection. It's about embracing the mess, the chaos, and the beauty of the process.