EDGAR DEGAS | Scène d'intérieur

Ambroise Vollard, Paris
Jeanne Fèvre, Nice
Michael Bernatov, Paris
L. Salavin, Paris
Nihon Gallery, Osaka
Acquired by the present owner in 2018

Philippe Brame & Theodore Reff, Degas et son oeuvre, A Supplement, New York & London, 1984, no. 54, illustrated p. 59

The board is stable and sound. The board is undulating. There are minor losses to the board in the lower right corner. Some minor pigment losses and frame abrasion in all four corners. The varnish has been rubbed off along all four edges, due to frame abrasion. There is some extremely fine hairline craquelure. There are remnants of adhesive on the verso. There is a loss to the varnish in the proper left lapel of the male sitter. Under UV inspection, there are a few small strokes of old inpainting that have been obscured by the thick layer of varnish. In these spots, the varnish also appears to have been discolored. The work is in good condition overall.
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Scène d'intérieur is a particularly early work for Degas, yet it embodies his mature style. The rapid but precise brushstrokes capture the ephemerality of the moment. Degas’ contribution as a founder of Impressionism—even though he rejected this connotation, preferring himself to be recognized a realist—is evident. In this composition, we can see the natural progression of Degas’ oeuvre in the ensuing decades, from Parisian night-life and its ballet dancers to opera singers and cabaret artists. The present work shows a well-dressed couple—likely members of the Parisian upper class—posing for the artist. The woman wears a ball gown of vibrant green with a fur accent. Degas captures the shimmer of the jewels on her necklace and tiara with careful application of white paint. Meanwhile, her companion, seated on a couch just behind, faces the viewer frontally, his crossed legs and composed demeanor accentuating his confidence. Degas paints the red ribbon which adorns the man’s neck in one quick brushstroke, while the sheen of a pendant on his lapel is conveyed through a few dabs of white paint.

Scène d'intérieur is in line with Degas’ series of couples, depicting the figures as psychologically distant from one another while sharing the same space. In their fine garb and measured composure, the two individuals succeed in displaying their wealth and status. Yet, beneath their air of dignity and grandeur, we see Degas’ deft ability to convey a sense of psychological vulnerability. The woman clutches aloofly at her necklace, while the man’s gaze carries with it a hint of loneliness.