René de Gas c. 1855

This is Edgar Degas's 'René de Gas', a drawing at the Art Institute of Chicago. The delicate lines of the graphite, set against the bare paper, capture a young René in profile. Notice how Degas uses shading to define the form, creating depth with subtle gradations in tone. The composition, spare and focused, directs our gaze entirely to the subject’s features and the texture of the paper itself. Degas, known for his innovative approach to composition, plays here with the classical portrait format. His sketch destabilizes the traditional notions of formal portraiture, focusing on the immediacy of observation rather than idealized representation. The texture and visible pencil strokes remind us of the artist's hand and the act of creation itself. Consider the artwork's texture, which invites contemplation of art as an evolving process, one where the materiality and mark-making are as crucial as the subject. This approach positions the work within a broader discourse about the nature of representation and artistic expression, moving beyond mere likeness to explore the poetics of form.