Woman Seated in an Armchair c. 1903 - 1921

This bronze sculpture, Woman Seated in an Armchair, was made by Edgar Degas at an unknown date and now lives at the Art Institute of Chicago. The beauty of bronze is that it captures a moment of creation. Degas' fingerprints are all over this, aren’t they? Look at the way the light catches the rough surface of the skirt of the chair, it almost shimmers. Her pose, though seated, has a dynamism and energy that defies the medium. But for me, it’s all about the arm, stretching out and away from the body. The way the clay puckers and creases around the elbow tells a story of the making, like you’re in the studio with Degas, watching the work come to life under his hands. It reminds me a little of Rodin, who was also pushing the limits of what sculpture could be at the time. Art isn’t about perfection, but about the energy of the hand, and Degas knew that.