At the Racecourse 1861 - 1862

Edgar Degas made this oil painting, At the Racecourse, sometime in the second half of the 19th century. The painting depicts a scene of bourgeois leisure, where the privileged classes of France gather to witness a horse race. But is Degas simply showing us an image of contemporary life? Or is he critiquing the social structures of his time? We see the figures arranged almost like a formal portrait, yet there is a sense of unease, of psychological distance between them. The composition is unconventional, almost fragmented, suggesting a society that is itself fractured and uncertain. To truly understand this painting, we need to consider the historical context in which it was made. France was undergoing rapid social and political change, with the rise of industrial capitalism and the decline of the old aristocracy. Paintings like this are valuable source material for social and cultural historians. We need to dig into the archives, read contemporary accounts, and explore the material culture of the period. Only then can we begin to grasp the full complexity and richness of Degas’s art.