Steep Coast 1892

Editor: So, this is Degas' "Steep Coast," painted around 1892, and it's believed to be pastel on paper. I'm really struck by the texture - it looks almost like fabric, the way the pastel is layered. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: The magic here truly lies in the materiality of the pastel itself. Degas's choice of pastel allows for layering and blending, yes, but also reflects on artistic labor. Think about the social context: the industrial revolution’s color chemistry developments that allowed him to create these pastels in such rich colors at an affordable price. This impacts artistic practice itself. Editor: I hadn't considered that angle. So, the accessibility of the medium plays a role in how we understand the artwork? Curator: Absolutely. Before readily available, mass-produced pastels, creating colors required specialized knowledge, expense and workshop labour. Degas embraces industrial advancements but doesn't hide the materiality – he uses the pastel stick almost sculpturally, defying any high/low art dichotomy. The sea is almost an afterthought. Degas draws your attention away from what is represented, encouraging contemplation on the medium itself. What do you make of the relatively muted color palette given that it is a coastal scene? Editor: Well, it definitely subverts the typical sunny, vibrant seascape. Maybe it’s drawing attention to the environmental changes happening even then? Like, an elegy for something lost in industrialization. Curator: Interesting! Perhaps his work reveals more about how material availability shapes what we see and what we don’t? Thank you for the insightful contribution to our conversation. Editor: That’s fascinating. I'll definitely look at Impressionist works differently now, paying closer attention to how they were materially produced and how that influences their message.