Woman Drying Herself 1886

Edgar Degas made this pastel drawing, Woman Drying Herself. Pastels are interesting because they are pure pigment, the same as you’d find in paint, but held together with just enough binder to make a stick. That means you get a very direct translation of color onto the page. You can see that here, in the vibrant blues and oranges of the background. Degas was fascinated by the immediacy of pastel. But what is really notable about his technique is the layering of strokes to achieve complex effects of light and shadow. With the hatching and cross-hatching, the figure emerges. The materiality of the pastel sticks is important too: the artist's hand is visibly present. The choice of pastel allowed Degas to portray a moment of intimate domesticity. This brings this “high art” into close proximity with the everyday. It goes to show, that materials and making are critical to art history.