Edgar Degas

Estate of the artist (and sold: Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, Atelier Edgar Degas, deuxième vente, December 11-13, 1918, lot 374)
Ambroise Vollard, Paris
Private Collection, Japan
Sale: Sotheby's, New York, November 17, 1998, lot 251
Acquired at the above sale

Paul-André Lemoisne, Degas et son oeuvre, vol. III, Paris, 1947, no. 1124bis, illustrated p. 651

Executed on cream wove paper laid down on board. Sheet is time darkened overall with a quarter inch mat stain around the perimeter. There are scattered small nicks to the surface around the perimeter which are minor. Otherwise fine, work is in very good condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

No other subjects in Degas' oeuvre are as visually enticing and seductive as his bathers.   These voyeuristic scenes of nude women, pampering themselves at their toilettes, have earned their place among the most desirable images in the history of modern art.   At the turn of the century, Degas devoted his production almost exclusively to these intimate depictions so that he could study the contours of the female form at close proximity.  Many of the models for these compositions were the young dancers from the ballet, who were now invited to pose for long hours in the drafty confines of Degas' studio.  No matter how strenuous these sessions were for his models, their discomfort is never evident in these depictions.  In this sensuous counterproof with pastel from circa 1892, Degas depicts the nude in the intimate act of scrubbing herself leaning over her basin.  The pose accentuates the elongation of the figure's raised arm and the suppleness of her flesh, and the colors he has selected imbue the atmosphere with a sense of warmth.