Which art-works did Degas exhibit in 1881? On this page you will find an accounted impression of the about 16 art-works that were shown by Edgar Degas at the 6th ‘impressionist’ exposition in 1881 (catalogue numbers: 12-19+hc4). Degas showed the sculpture of his famous little dancer. Probably he also showed 8 art-works outside the catalogue (=hc). I render the pictures by form and in thematical order. Note: If you double click on the first (of a cluster of) pictures and then click on full screen, you can create a slideshow. On a smartphone or laptop you can also zoom in. Enjoy!
Edgar Degas, 1879-81, Little Dancer aged fourteen, wax and mixed techniques, 98x35x35, NGA Washington (M21;iR2;R2,p336+361+311;R90II,p180+190+147/8;R90I,p344+283;R26,p160) =6IE-1881-12, Petite danseuse de quatorze ans (statuette en cire). Not exhibited as 5IE-1880-34.
Edgar Degas: 1869ca, CR216, La repasseuse (Woman Ironing), 93×73, NP Munich (iR10;iR94;iR2;aR23;R114,no216;R26,no364;M53) =?? 6IE-1881-19, Blanchisseuse
Edgar Degas: 1869-75ca, The Laundress (à mon ami A. ?), oil on paper, 34×28, DMCC Wellesley (iR10;iR8;iR2;aR23=MS2699) =?? 6IE-1881-19, Blanchisseuse
Edgar Degas, 6IE-1881-17, Physionomie de criminel =!? 1881ca, CR638, Physionomie de criminal, pastel, 64×76, private (R90II,p190+180;iR10;R26,no582;R2,p354+342)
Edgar Degas, 6IE-1881-18, Physionomie de criminel =!? 1881, CR639, Criminal Physiognomies, pastel, 64×76, A2015/06/24 (iR2;iR14;iR11;iR59;R2,p354+342;R90II,p180+190)
Edgar Degas, 1875-80, CR389, Portrait of a man, 55×45, MFA Boston (iR2;R26,no445;R2,p354;R90II,p180;M22) =?? 6IE-1881-14, Portrait
Edgar Degas, 1876-80ca, CR463, Woman with an Umbrella, 61×50, NGC Ottawa (iR8;iR2;iR10;iR53;R26,no461;R2,p354;R90II,p180;M113) =?? 6IE-1881-15, Portrait
Edgar Degas, 1879ca, CR528, Red haired young woman, 52×42, Reinhart Winterthur (iR377;R26,no566;R2,p354;R90II,p180;M87) =?? 6IE-1881-16, Portrait
Probably shown outside the catalogue:
The suggestions for the 8 works exhibited outside the catalogue (=hc) are very uncertain, so this also makes the identification of the used technique hard to make. I will add some similar scenes to compare, but the techniques don’t fit the suggestions given in the reviews, this contradicts the suggestions of Moffett (R2,p354).
Edgar Degas: 1880-85ca, CR715, In the Wings, pastel, 67×38, private (iR2;R26,no630;R90II,p180;R114,no715) Compare: 6IE-1881-19+hc1, Vue de coulisses
Edgar Degas: 1876-83ca (1890ca), CR1024, Dancers backstage, 24×19, NGA Washington (M21;iR2;iR377;R26,no859;R2,p360) =Duret sale 1894/03/16-12. Compare: 6IE-1881-19+hc1, Vue de coulisses
Edgar Degas: 1880ca, CR532, A frieze, three woman, dr+pastel+tempera, 50×65, private (iR2;R2,p268+341+354;R90II,p110+180+190;R26,no565;R114,no532) =!? 4IE-1879-67, Essai de décoration (détrempe) (probably not exhibited) = 6IE-1881-19+hc2, Portraits en frise pour décorer un appartement
Edgar Degas: 6IE-1881-19+hc3-1, (Dessins et esquisses: Chanteuses en scène) =?? 1877ca, Chanteuse café-concert, dr, xx, BNF Paris (aR22=iR40;R90II,p180;R2,p354;R114,no380;R26,no414;R90I,p348+362) Compare CR380, “stretching out wiggling paws”
Edgar Degas: 6IE-1881-19+hc3-2, (Dessins et esquisses: Chanteuses en scène) =?? 1877ca, Sketches Mll. Bécat (Chanteuse café-concert), dr, xx, BNF Paris (aR22=iR40;R90II,p180;R2,p354;R114,no372+458;R26,no385+452;R90I,p348+362) Compare: CR372 + 458
Edgar Degas: 6IE-1881-19+hc3-3, (Dessins et esquisses: Chanteuses en scène) =?? 1877ca, Five rapid sketches (of a singer at a café-concert), dr, xx, JPGM Los Angeles (iR8;aR22=iR40;R90II,p180;R2,p354;R114,no405+458;R26,no413+452;R90I,p348+362) Compare: CR405 + 458.
Edgar Degas: 6IE-1881-19+hc4-1: Esquisses noire: Femme nue =? 1879ca, Room in a brothel, monotype + ink, 21×16, Stanford UMA Palo Alto (iR10;R90I,p348;R90II,p180;R2,p363+354;R305,no22=87)
Edgar Degas, 1877-78ca, Mlle Bécat, monotype, 16×12, NGA Washington (M21;R90I,p340+362) =?? 6IE-1881-19+hc4-2, Esquisses noire
Edgar Degas, 1877-78ca, Café Singer, monotype, 12×16, xx (iR91;R90I,p340+362;R305,no8) =?? 6IE-1881-19+hc4-3, Esquisses noire
Edgar Degas: 1876-77ca, CR380, La ‘chanson du chien’, the song of the dog, oil+pastel + gouache over monotype, 58×45, private (iRx;iR6;aR23;R26,no414;R90II,p180;R2,p354;R26,no414) Compare: 6IE-1881-19+hc3-1, (Drawings and sketches: Chanteuses en scène). Rouart sale MJ1912/12/16-71
Edgar Degas: 1877, CR458, Mlle Bécat aux Ambassadeurs, pastel over litho, 16×12, A2007/05/08 (iR11;R90II,p180;R26,no452) =?? 3IE-1877-43-2, Café-concert. Compare: 6IE-1881-19+hc3-4, (Drawings and sketches: Chanteuses en scène)
Edgar Degas: 1875ca, CR372, Mademoiselle Becat aux ambassadeurs, litho + pastel, 12×21, xx (iR10;R2,p354;R90II,p180;R26,no385) Compare: 6IE-1881-19+hc3-3, Drawings and sketches: Chanteuses en scène
Edgar Degas: 3IE-1877-44, Café-concert =!? 1875-77ca, CR405, Café Concert at ´Les Ambassadeurs´, pastel over monotype, 37×27, MBA Lyon (iR2;iR59;R26,no413;R2,p204+354;R90II,p73+90) Compare: 6IE-1881-19+hc3-3, (Drawings and sketches: Chanteuses en scène). Note the effect of light and the low perspective.
Edgar Degas: 1876-77, CR404, The Cafe Concert, pastel on monotype, 24×43, NGA Washington (M21;iR2;aR23;R26,no411;R2,p204+354+360;R90II,p72+90;R205,no26) =!? 3IE-1877-43, Café-concert Compare: 6IE-1881-19+hc3-3, (Drawings and sketches: Chanteuses en scène)
Clarification:
The medium of no.17+18 was not specified, which means mostly it was an oil painting, but probably they were pastels. Most suggestions are (very) uncertain. For the (very) uncertain suggestions for the 8 works exhibited outside the catalogue (=hc) see above. See link for the identification of paintings. See link for an account. See also a thematical overview of his exhibited art-works. For explanation of the subscriptions, see. See for the used sources at the bottom of the main page about Edgar Degas.
Recommanded citation: “Impressionism: Edgar Degas at the 6th ‘impressionist’ exposition in 1881; an impression of his exhibited art-works. Last modified 2024/01/27. https://www.impressionism.nl/degas-1881-expo/“
