At the Milliner
- Original dimensions
- 67 x 67 cm
- Movement
- impressionism
- Museum
- Museum of Modern Art
- Year
- 1882
Scene depicted
In this painting, the feminine world takes shape under Degas's brush, oscillating between reality and dream. A milliner, focused, adjusts a delicate hat, while a client, as if frozen in a suspended moment, admires the work. The composition evokes not only an act of purchase but also the ephemeral beauty of fashion, transcribed on the canvas.
Historical context
Created in 1882, this iconic work of the impressionist movement enchants with its view of daily life at the end of the 19th century in Paris. In the sanctuary of fashion, Edgar Degas immortalizes scenes of Parisian life, offering a true testimony of the era. The painting, now exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, stands at 67 x 67 cm, inviting contemplation.
Place in the artist's career
This painting occupies a central place in Degas's career, materializing a period of artistic maturity. At the crossroads between realism and impressionism , works such as “The Little Dancer of Fourteen Years” and “Dancers at Rest” trace the evolution of his style, merging technique and emotion at the heart of the painting .
Anecdote
“Beauty lies in the ephemeral,” said Degas, inscribing his thoughts on a vibrant creative site. That morning, as the Parisian light gently entered his studio, the artist captured a moment of grace in the work of a milliner, revealing the intimacy of creation and the elegance at work in this painting .