Nude Study of a Dancer 1902

Edgar Degas made this nude study of a dancer in pastel, which is kind of like drawing with pure pigment. What I love about Degas is how he lets you see the process, the making, the decisions. Look at the dancer’s leg, the way the pastel is layered, one color over another. See those green strokes snaking down from the bench? That’s not just shadow; it's like Degas is thinking out loud, right there on the paper. He isn't afraid to let the underlayers show through, it all becomes part of the final piece. It's interesting to compare this to the work of someone like Manet, who also painted nudes, but with a much smoother, more finished surface. With Degas, there's a raw, immediate quality. It's like you're catching a glimpse of the dancer in a private moment, and maybe catching a glimpse of the artist's thoughts too. Art is never finished, only abandoned, as someone once said.