Description
This is one of thirty-five works that comprise the Winterbotham Collection. Click here to learn more about the collection.
Provenance
Degas Sale, Paris, Georges Petit, May 4-5, 1918, lot 116 (ill.); sold to Jacques Seligmann, Paris [according to Charles Durand-Ruel’s letter to Richard Brettell, dated May 10, 1983, copy in curatorial file]; sale, New York, American Art Association, January 27, 1921, lot 34 (ill.). Henry D. Hughes, Philadelphia [according to Lemoisne 1946]. Sale, New York, American Art Association, January 28, 1926, lot 171 (ill.). Reinhardt Gallery, New York by at least 1933; sold to Joseph Winterbotham (died 1954), Burlington, Vt. by 1933 [see Chicago 1933 and an inventory of Joseph Winterbotham collection accompanying the exhibition at The Chicago Arts Club in 1936, copy in curatorial file]; bequeathed to the Art Institute, 1954.
Accession Number
80604
Medium
Distemper, metallic paint, and pastel, on canvas
Dimensions
85.7 × 75.3 cm (33 3/4 × 29 5/8 in.); Framed: 108 × 97.8 × 6.4 cm (42 1/2 × 38 1/2 × 2 1/2 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
Joseph Winterbotham Collection
Background & Context
Background Story
Edgar Degas's Portrait after a Costume Ball (Portrait of Madame Dietz-Monnin) (1879) is a painting in distemper, metallic paint, and pastel on canvas. Degas was one of the founders of Impressionism, combining brilliant draftsmanship with relentless experimentalism. This portrait shows Madame Dietz-Monnin after a costume ball. The combination of distemper, metallic paint, and pastel creates a rich surface. The metallic paint adds a reflective quality that suggests the glitter of the ballroom. Degas's experimental approach to materials is fully displayed.
Cultural Impact
Degas's use of mixed media and experimental materials was revolutionary, expanding the possibilities of painting.
Why It Matters
This portrait after a costume ball captures the glamour of Parisian social life, the metallic paint and pastel creating a surface that shimmers with the memory of the ballroom.
