Degas à la redingote noire c. 1854 - 1855

"Degas à la redingote noire" is a self-portrait by Edgar Degas created between 1854 and 1855. The painting shows Degas as a young man, dressed in a dark coat and with a serious expression. The subdued colors and realistic style of the painting are typical of Degas' early work. The self-portrait reveals Degas' interest in portraying the human figure realistically, a skill he would further develop throughout his career. While this early work does not yet show the distinctive style of Degas’s later work, it offers insight into the artist’s development and his interest in realistic portraiture.