Leaving the Bath 1879 - 1880

Editor: This is Edgar Degas’ "Leaving the Bath," made between 1879 and 1880. It's an etching and drawing printed with ink on paper, currently residing at the Art Institute of Chicago. I am really struck by the sketchy quality. What can you tell me about it? Curator: It’s an interesting example of Degas grappling with the means of production and his movement between perceived "high" art like painting, and what was deemed craft or reproductive art through printmaking. The visible process of etching and drawing breaks down hierarchies. Think about the materials themselves: the metal plate, the acids used to bite the image, the paper sourced for printing. Each step reveals labor. Editor: So, it’s a conscious act of exploring the "making of" art, rather than just depicting a scene? Curator: Precisely! Consider the social context too. Who owned these prints? Were they widely accessible, and how did the subject matter - a woman bathing - influence their consumption? It shifts the gaze away from the romanticized nude to a more observational and, arguably, a commercially viable representation of the everyday. Editor: Interesting! I was so focused on the Impressionistic style that I didn't think about the process and its social implications. Curator: It’s a dialogue between the act of creation, the inherent value – or lack thereof – assigned to materials, and its exchange within a consumerist society. Thinking about art from that vantage point can unlock entirely new sets of questions. Editor: This makes me appreciate Degas’ choice of printmaking for this particular subject even more. Thanks! Curator: It gives you an alternate understanding that focuses on how materiality is critical, while creating more queries and different angles to appreciate.