Degas | Woman on sofa sketch | MET Museum

Edgar Degas – Woman on Sofa (Sketch)
Degas’ pastel sketch Woman on Sofa (c. 1875) is a study in intimacy and fatigue, the female figure slumped in an ungainly pose, her body a cascade of loose, expressive lines. Unlike his polished ballet scenes, this work feels raw and private, almost voyeuristic. A revealing detail: Degas often sketched friends and models in unguarded moments, capturing the exhaustion behind Paris’s glittering facade. The acidic greens and oranges clash deliberately, heightening the sense of unease—a far cry from the era’s idealized nudes.

Degas’ Life During This Period
In the 1870s, Degas was transitioning from historical scenes to modern life, fueled by his involvement with the Impressionists (though he hated the term). His eyesight was already failing, pushing him toward pastels and sketches like this one. The model may have been his friend, the actress Ellen Andrée, who posed for many avant-garde artists. Degas’ obsession with candid moments alienated some critics, but it cemented his reputation as a ruthless observer of human nature. This sketch, with its unflinching honesty, foreshadows his later, even more radical experiments in distortion.

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