Woman Washing Her Left Leg (Second State) 1878 - 1920

This bronze sculpture was made by Edgar Degas, who lived from 1834 to 1917. Degas was a painter, but he also modelled in wax, clay and plaster. These softer materials allowed him to work more quickly and spontaneously. Look closely, and you’ll see the rough surface of the bronze. The figure is caught in a casual, everyday pose, washing her left leg with a sponge. You might think of the great tradition of the female nude. But Degas wasn’t interested in idealized beauty. Instead, he wanted to capture the body in motion, and to show the sometimes awkward realities of daily life. Bronze is, of course, a very different material from flesh. But Degas used it to great effect, capturing the weight and solidity of the human body. There is an immediacy to the work, which makes it feel like a snapshot of a fleeting moment. Ultimately, he used traditional techniques to make something radically new.