Youth with Arms Upraised 1859 - 1862

Curator: Before us is Edgar Degas's "Youth with Arms Upraised," a pencil drawing created between 1859 and 1862, presently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Immediately, the drawing strikes me as tentative, almost searching. The lines are delicate, unfinished, suggesting movement more than a static pose. There is a definite fragility about the youth. Curator: I'd agree about its feeling unfinished; Degas often favored process over product. Observe how the lack of distinct, continuous contours encourages us to focus on the tonal values and the overall structure of the figure itself, its sheer presence. It's less about anatomical perfection and more about the geometry of the body. Editor: Right. And I’m drawn to the pose—arms reaching upward, creating this sense of vulnerability or maybe even desperation. Knowing Degas was working in a Paris steeped in social and political upheaval, is it possible to see this figure as emblematic of that uncertainty? A yearning, perhaps, for something just out of reach? Curator: Intriguing thought! Certainly, such interpretations aren't out of bounds given the turbulent atmosphere of the time. We might also consider it through the lens of Degas's broader interest in depicting figures in motion, studying gesture. The drawing may well represent academic exercise. We might think that the raised arms might be for exercise. Editor: But exercise to what aim? Degas often blurred lines between high art and popular culture. What if, in that era of immense social change, this image plays with the rising concept of self-improvement and striving for better opportunities. Perhaps this piece should serve as commentary about these subjects? Curator: Fascinating angles to pursue; It goes beyond simply representing form in a novel way by presenting concepts in fresh context. Editor: Agreed. I hadn't considered the formal qualities initially, yet that skeletal structure gives context that impacts even possible stories about the character and society it resides in. Curator: And for me, reflecting on its social backdrop amplifies an emotional texture which makes it stand out against his later, arguably, better works.