Jockeys 1900

Curator: This pastel on paper, aptly titled "Jockeys," comes to us from Edgar Degas, dating to about 1900. It resides in a private collection. Editor: It's quite dreamlike, isn’t it? Muted colours, a kind of restless energy suggested in the blurred edges. Like a faded memory of a day at the races. Curator: Absolutely. Degas's use of pastel is particularly striking here. Look at how he creates depth and movement with those layered strokes, the scumbling, juxtaposing the colours so expertly to bring depth and character. There is also the landscape style that allows our eyes to wander around different areas, giving off the effect that one moment may be the calm before or after the rush of the race. Editor: I notice a flattening of space, as if Degas compresses the foreground and background. It draws the viewer’s eye across the picture plane rather than inviting us into a deep perspective, making it more of a reflection and capturing more emotion. The composition emphasizes the formal qualities—the arrangement of shapes, lines, and colours—over a straightforward representation of reality. It feels modern, somehow detached. Curator: Indeed, while Impressionism is concerned with capturing the fleeting moment, Degas was focused with form, carefully constructing his compositions. You can see the influence of Japanese prints in that cropped perspective and the asymmetrical placement of the figures, giving us dynamic action. Editor: What's so intriguing is how Degas used his lines, they aren't precise at all. Yet you can sense the muscular tension in the horses' legs, the tautness of the jockeys. Despite the apparent looseness, everything is so carefully considered and refined, especially the rhythm with which each brushstroke captures an individualistic portrayal of each moving figure. Curator: Yes, Degas manages to convey not just the outward appearance of the race but also the feeling of it – the anticipation, the speed, and the pure spectacle of this human and animal dance of skill and daring. What do you think? Editor: It does indeed resonate; Degas gives form to motion, a perfect glimpse of this exhilarating event. I am particularly taken by the emotion one experiences, just for witnessing these equine moments of freedom.