The Jockey 1887

Editor: This is Degas's "The Jockey," from 1887. It's at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and looks like it’s done in oil paint, maybe even pastel too. It feels...rushed, almost like a sketch, but there's so much implied movement. What can you tell me about this piece, focusing perhaps on Degas's choices? Curator: Well, let's consider the materials first. Degas used oil and possibly pastel on paper, blurring the line between painting and drawing. The quick, almost gestural marks weren't just about depicting a scene but showcasing the act of making itself. Think about the social context; the rise of mass media like photography forced painters to justify their craft. Editor: So, he’s highlighting the 'craft' element to differentiate painting from photography? Curator: Exactly! Degas uses the materiality of paint and pastel to show what a photograph can’t: the artist’s hand, the build-up of layers, the texture. This wasn't just about rendering a horse race; it was a deliberate statement about the value of artistic labor in an increasingly industrialized world. Notice how he layers the colors and strokes of pigment! Editor: It's almost like the process of making becomes as important as the subject matter. Is Degas commenting on the commercialization of art here too, then? By focusing on process, is he resisting the art market's focus on the finished product? Curator: Absolutely. He challenges the idea of art as simply a commodity by showcasing the labor involved, elevating the materials and the techniques used into the artwork's very essence. His choice of pastel too moves this away from grand art making of his predecessors and more towards an everyday, material process. Editor: I see, he's elevating the process. Now I am starting to see how his approach forces you to think about how art is made, consumed, and valued! Curator: Exactly! We've moved past simply *looking* at "The Jockey" and begun to see it as a product of material decisions and social anxieties, all embedded in the way Degas chose to apply his medium.