Singer with a Glove (c. 1878) by Edgar Degas

Singer with a Glove - Edgar Degas - 1878

Artwork Information

TitleSinger with a Glove
ArtistEdgar Degas
Date1878
Mediumpastel,Canvas
Dimensions53.2 x 41 cm
Art MovementImpressionism
Current LocationFogg Museum (Harvard Art Museums), Cambridge, MA, US
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About Singer with a Glove

Edgar Degas’ “Singer with a Glove” is a pastel drawing on canvas which he created in 1878. The artwork depicts a cafe-concert singer in the middle of a song with her mouth open while a gloved hand delicately hovers before it. Degas was a French artist celebrated for his works in pastels, paintings, sculptures, prints, and charcoal drawings. He explored a wide variety of media and was a member of the Impressionist movement. Degas was particularly drawn to capturing the effects of light and scenes of urban leisure.

The painting is part of a series of artworks featuring cafe-concert singers which Degas produced. He was a frequent visitor to such establishments, particularly cafes and theaters in Paris, where he and his friend Mary Cassatt worked on pastels that captured scenes from the theater. This artwork is a prime example of Degas’ interest in capturing fleeting moments of everyday life. His fascination with the singer’s glove hovering before her mouth while she sings adds to the sense of movement and tells a vibrant story.

Overall, “Singer with a Glove” is a testament to Degas’ skill as a master of pastel drawing. His focus on the subject matter brings out its emotional depth and its importance in everyday life. This artwork is an excellent representation of the Impressionist movement and significant of Degas’ contribution to it.

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