The artwork titled “Jockeys” by Edgar Degas, created in 1881, is an oil painting on canvas exemplifying the Impressionist movement. With dimensions measuring 26.3 x 39.8 cm, this genre painting is part of the collection at the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, Connecticut, United States.
“Jockeys” by Degas portrays a group of horse riders, depicted in a style that captures the essence of the Impressionist movement, notable for its loose brushstrokes that suggest rather than delineate details. The painting foregrounds jockeys in racing silks seated on their thoroughbred horses. The colors are vibrant with an emphasis on the orange and earth tones that dominate the scene, suggesting perhaps the warmth of the racetrack or the time of day. Certain elements seem to merge into one another, highlighting the movement’s characteristic blurring of lines and embracing of a moment in time rather than a hyper-realistic depiction. Degas’ focus on the light and its interaction with the subjects enhances the sense of immediacy and the candid nature of the scene. This is an excellent representation of Degas’s interest in horses and the racing world, themes recurrent in his body of work.
