At the Milliner
- Original dimensions
- 73.7 x 61.6 cm
- Museum
- Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
- Year
- 1883
Scene depicted
The painting immerses us in the muted universe of a fashion salon, where a woman, delicately leaning, awaits the choice of a hat. The reflections of the fabrics, the grace of the gestures, and the almost palpable atmosphere form a composition where every detail is essential. Degas, as an attentive observer, invites us to share this suspended moment, to feel the elegance and sophistication of 19th-century Parisian society.
Historical context
Created in 1883, this painting is set in the Paris of a revolutionary century, where impressionism brings a new breeze to art. "Chez la modiste" is an emblematic piece of the academic movement, while embracing the nuances of modernity. The painting, currently exhibited at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts , links a bygone world with the avant-garde. Its dimensions, 73.7 x 61.6 cm, give it an intimate and captivating presence.
Place in the artist's career
"Chez la modiste" stands out as a major milestone in Degas's career, marking a phase of stylistic maturation. At the crossroads of realism and impressionism , this work is positioned after "The Dancer at Rest" and before "L'absinthe," two paintings that also testify to the evolution of his gaze on women and urban life. Each painting evokes different emotions, but all reveal the complexity of the characters.
Anecdote
"Every brushstroke must be a breath of life," said Degas. It is in the light of a spring morning, in the heart of a studio scented with silk and varnish, that he found his inspiration to capture the essence of women in motion. The painting "Chez la modiste" resonates with this quest for truth and beauty.