Mademoiselle Malo c. 1877

Edgar Degas painted 'Mademoiselle Malo' in France, though the exact date remains unknown. The portrait sits within a fascinating moment of art history, when artists began to explore the lives of ordinary people, especially women, rather than exclusively focusing on historical or mythological scenes. What does this image tell us about the young woman, and more broadly, the role of women in late 19th-century French society? The flowers behind her head are a formal element, but what meaning did flowers have in the language of painting? The muted palette is typical of Degas, but does it tell us something about the sitter's mood? Was this a commissioned portrait, and if so, what does that suggest about the Malo family's social position? To answer these kinds of questions, art historians use many resources: letters, diaries, newspaper archives, and exhibition reviews. Looking at art through this social lens, we realize that every image is inevitably shaped by the specific conditions of its time.