Portrait after a Costume Ball 1879

Edgar Degas captures a moment after a costume ball, presenting a woman adorned in the trappings of revelry. Her gloved hand is raised in a gesture, a subtle acknowledgement. But it is the feather boa draped around her shoulders that truly captures the spirit of transformation. The boa, a symbol of metamorphosis, evokes images of Leda and the Swan. In the ancient myth Leda is visited by Zeus in the guise of a swan, resulting in the birth of Helen of Troy. The boa, like the swan’s feathers, represents the blurring of boundaries, the fusion of human and animal, mortal and divine. This motif has taken on new layers through history, reflecting our complex relationship with the natural world and our own desires for transcendence. Think of the animal masks worn in ancient rituals, intended to channel primal forces, connecting wearers to something beyond the self. Such symbols engage the viewer on a deep, subconscious level, where the echoes of ancient stories resonate. The image invites us to contemplate the cyclical nature of symbols. The boa's presence in Degas's portrait shows its journey through time, resurfacing, evolving, and acquiring new meanings in each era.