Edgar Degas (Paris, 1834 - 1917, Paris)
Racehorse (Cheval), about 1870
Black, and white chalk on brown wove paper, 30.6 x 44.5 cm (12 1/16 x 17 1/2 in.)
This drawing of a horse is done in black and white chalk on coarse brown paper. The horse is standing in profile, facing to the right. His sleek body stretches nearly the full length of the sheet of paper: his ears and hooves don’t quite fit on the upper and lower dimensions and his wispy, lifted tail grazes the left edge. His ears are laid back and his forelegs are close together and locked; although his hind legs seem more relaxed. His coat appears shiny because of the artist’s use of smudged white chalk to mimic reflected light on the neck, back, and tail.
Short Gallery
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.