Self-Portrait with White Collar c. 1857

Edgar Degas's "Self-Portrait with White Collar" (c. 1857) is a small, intimate portrait of the artist in his early years. The painting features a close-up view of Degas's face, with his dark hair and a hint of a mustache, set against a warm brown background. The brushstrokes are loose and painterly, creating a sense of immediacy and realism. The focus on the artist's gaze and expression highlights the introspective nature of the self-portrait, a theme that would become a recurring motif in Degas's later work. This early self-portrait captures the artist's youthful energy and foreshadows the artistic brilliance he would achieve in the years to come.