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Date : approx. between 1882 and 1905
Material : Oil on canvas
| Item 5 on 17
European Painting
Painting
Area related
France
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| Description |  |
Fascinated by the millinery trade, Degas made numerous images of female hat makers and buyers. This strikingly austere late work was continuously rethought and repainted over the course of twenty-five years. What began as an image of shoppers was transformed into a complex, poignant double portrait of workers. The figures are intentionally rendered with varying levels of finish-the woman at left is more fully realized than her shadow counterpart. Degas' process here was to continually reduce anecdotal details down to the looming hat stands and vibrant ribbons. The final product is thoroughly modern in sensibility, composition, and technique.
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