After Bathing, Woman Drying Herself 1905

Edgar Degas captured this intimate moment in pastel, showing a woman drying herself. The pose, with arms raised and head tilted, echoes the Venus Pudica, a classical motif of modesty where the figure shields her body. We see it echoed through time, like Botticelli’s Venus, and even in Renaissance depictions of Eve. Yet, here, the gesture feels less about modesty and more about vulnerability. The act of bathing carries symbolic weight, representing purification and renewal. Think of baptism or ancient Roman bathhouses, both spaces for cleansing and social ritual. Degas strips away the mythological or religious context, focusing on the raw, human act. This very pose taps into our collective memory. The gesture transcends mere representation, resonating with the viewer on a subconscious level, stirring within us shared emotions. The symbol takes on new layers of meaning, evolving with each new portrayal and each new era.