Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas
French, 1834–1917
After the Bath: Large Plate (La sortie du bain: grande planche)
c. 1891–92
In the final print from his series of bathers, Degas presents a close study of the figure’s body that captures the play of light on the muscles across the woman’s back. In order to test his work, Degas made several in- progress impressions, or states, which record the piece’s evolution. States one, two, three, and four—reproduced here—indicate that at first there was a maidservant offering the bather a towel. In the final print, however, only the tips of the servant’s fingers are visible above the bather’s head. The many layers contained within this single work show the importance of repetition and reconfiguration in Degas’s printmaking process.
| Medium | lithograph, transfer, and crayon in black ink on paper |
| Dimensions | image: 11 x 11 15/16 in. (28 x 30.4 cm) sheet: 16 x 19 1/4 in. (40.6 x 48.9 cm) |
| Object Number | 1962.37 |
| Acquisition | Acquired by the Clark, 1962 |
| Status | Off View |
Image Caption
Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas, After the Bath: Large Plate (La sortie du bain: grande planche), c. 1891–92, lithograph, transfer, and crayon in black ink on paper. Clark Art Institute, Acquired by the Clark, 1962.37
