Woman Taken Unawares c. late 1880s - early 1890s

"Woman Taken Unawares" is a bronze sculpture by Edgar Degas, created sometime between the late 1880s and early 1890s. The sculpture depicts a nude woman in a candid, informal pose, capturing a moment of vulnerability and unexpectedness. Degas, known for his depictions of dancers and everyday life, masterfully conveys the subject's fleeting movement and emotional state, adding to the realism and intrigue of the piece. The rough, textured surface of the bronze further enhances the sense of spontaneity and immediacy, characteristic of Degas's later work.