Estelle Musson Balfour 1865

Edgar Degas's "Estelle Musson Balfour" (1865) is a portrait painting of a young woman with a pensive expression. Rendered in a muted palette, the painting captures the sitter's delicate features and the soft, subtle lighting of the surrounding woodland. Degas, known for his depictions of dancers and Parisian life, explored the beauty of everyday subjects, highlighting the quiet intimacy of this portrait. The painting, currently housed in the Walters Art Museum, showcases Degas's mastery of capturing a sense of realism and emotion within a simple composition.