The artwork “A Woman Seated beside a Vase of Flowers” by Edgar Degas was created in the year 1865. This oil on canvas reflects the Impressionist art movement and portrays a portrait genre. It measures 73.7 x 92.7 cm. The artwork is housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, located in New York City, NY, US.
The artwork presents a scene containing a seated woman who is positioned next to an abundant vase of flowers. The woman has her face turned slightly away from the vase, perhaps in mid-thought, with her hand delicately poised against her cheek. Her attire appears to be of a rich, brown hue complemented by a dark scarf and a white cap adorned with black accents. The vase of flowers is rendered with an array of colors and a degree of looseness characteristic of the Impressionist approach, capturing the play of light and atmosphere rather than meticulous botanical detail. The backdrop is muted, featuring what seems to be a patterned wallpaper that complements the organic forms of the floral arrangement, suggesting a domestic interior setting. The artist’s use of texture and light imbues the scene with vibrancy, despite the woman’s contemplative pose. The brushwork is visible, adding a sense of immediacy and movement to the composition, a hallmark of the Impressionist style that seeks to express a momentary impression of the scene.
