Six Friends of the Artist 1885

Edgar Degas made this pastel drawing titled, "Six Friends of the Artist," sometime during the late 19th century. Degas, living in a time of rapid social change in France, often explored the nuances of human interaction and social dynamics. This piece offers an intriguing look at the male gaze and the construction of social identity. We see a group of men, presumably Degas and his friends, rendered with a kind of detached observation. Yet there is something unsettling about the female figure who peers out from behind them. Her gaze seems to challenge the male camaraderie that dominates the scene. Degas was a notorious bachelor who allegedly remarked, "Perhaps I treated women too much like hats." Through this statement, one can consider how he thought of women. This artwork reflects a societal dynamic where women were relegated to the margins of male-dominated spaces. It prompts us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in social gatherings and the ways in which identity is shaped by gender, class, and social standing.