Woman Arranging Her Hair c. late 1880s - 1890s

Edgar Degas modeled this sculpture in wax, a common material for studies because it is so easily manipulated. Look closely, and you will see how Degas has built up the figure with small additions of material, pinching and prodding to create the overall form. The inherently soft, responsive nature of wax allowed Degas to swiftly capture a fleeting moment of everyday life, a woman arranging her hair. You can see him working the wax with his hands, and it is a very intimate thing. The sculpture was cast in bronze posthumously, and this gives it a very different feel. Bronze is permanent, monumental, it is designed to last. It invites a conversation about the hierarchies of art, because for Degas, sculpture was a private affair, yet today it sits in a museum, inviting contemplation. It reminds us that the value and meaning of art objects can transform over time, challenging the established notions of art and craft.