Breakfast after the Bath 1895 - 1898

Edgar Degas made this pastel drawing, Breakfast after the Bath, in France in the late nineteenth century. The composition captures the artist's interest in depicting everyday domestic scenes. It shows us a woman bent over a tub, her back turned to the viewer, while another woman stands in the background. This seemingly candid snapshot is the product of careful social observation. The bather is viewed from an intimate, unconventional perspective, while the maid is drawn with empathy. Degas’ work questions traditional notions of beauty and class. To understand this work, we need to consider the social context of late 19th-century France. Scholars have used sources such as contemporary medical literature and social surveys to understand the prevailing attitudes toward the female body and domestic labor. These resources help us to appreciate the radical nature of Degas's decision to portray the female form with such raw honesty.