Edgar Degas
is best known as a painter and chronicler of the ballet, yet his work as a
printmaker reveals the true extent of his restless experimentation. In the
mid-1870s, Degas was introduced to the monotype process—drawing in ink on a
metal plate that was then run through a press, typically resulting in a single
print. Captivated by the monotype’s potential, he immersed in the technique
with enormous enthusiasm, taking the medium to radical ends. He expanded the
possibilities of drawing, created surfaces with a heightened sense of
tactility, and invented new means for new subjects, from dancers in motion to
the radiance of electric light, from women in intimate settings to
meteorological effects in nature. The monotype also sparked a host of
experiments for Degas, who often used the medium as a starting point from which
an image could be reworked and revised. This process of repetition and
transformation, mirroring and reversal, allowed Degas to extend his approach to
the study of form. The profound impact of his work with monotype can be seen in
his variations in different mediums of key motifs, revealing a new kind of
artwork that was less about progress or completion than endless innovation.
Venue name:
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Website: Moma
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