Study for "Mme Théodore Gobillard" (née Yves Morisot) 1869

Edgar Degas made this pencil on paper study of Madame Théodore Gobillard in France, sometime in the late 19th century. Degas, though associated with the Impressionists, maintained a critical distance from their project, with its emphasis on landscape and the effects of natural light. His focus was consistently on the figure, particularly women, whom he depicted in a range of social settings. Here, we see a preparatory sketch for a formal portrait; yet the underlying grid reminds us that this intimate image was carefully composed. As a historian, my interest lies in understanding how the institutions of art, such as the French academy or the annual Salon exhibitions, shaped the production and reception of works like this. Degas’s art was often at odds with the conservative tastes of the French upper classes and by situating it within these institutions, alongside research into the artist’s milieu, we can better understand its cultural significance.