The artwork “Henri Rouart in Front of His Factory” was created by the renowned artist Edgar Degas around 1875. This oil on canvas construction falls within the Impressionist art movement, characterized by its unique portrayal of light and candid postures. Measuring 25 5/8 by 19 3/4 inches (65 x 50 cm), the portrait is a representation of Henri Rouart, an engineer and industrialist who was also a collector and friend of artists, including Degas himself. Presently, the painting is part of the collection at the Carnegie Museum of Art located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.
The artwork captures Henri Rouart wearing a formal hat, looking to the side, and his profile is prominently featured against a backdrop that includes a factory setting. We observe the presence of an industrial chimney in the background, emitting a plume of smoke, which emphasizes Rouart’s connection to the industrial world. The earthy and muted tones prevalent in this painting are distinctive of Degas’s palette during this period. The factory and the sky are rendered with soft, almost hazy brushstrokes, a technique that imparts a sense of atmosphere and fleeting moments, fundamental to the Impressionist approach. Rouart himself is depicted with more definition, but still with the loose, expressive brushwork that reveals Degas’s mastery in capturing character and mood. The artwork stands as an intersection of portraiture and modern life, a theme often explored by the Impressionists.
