“The Milliner,” created around 1882 by artist Edgar Degas, is an outstanding work rendered in pastel. This genre painting falls under the Impressionism art movement, highlighting the artist’s characteristic style focused on the fleeting moments and sensations of contemporary life.
The artwork captures a scene of everyday life, as was common in genre paintings of the time. It depicts a milliner, a hat maker or seller, engaged with her craft. The composition showcases a woman with a thoughtful or relaxed expression, possibly a milliner herself, leaning back and holding, or perhaps appraising, a hat. Her tilted head resting upon her hand suggests a moment of rest or introspection amidst her work routine.
The background is rendered with loose, broad strokes, indicative of the impressionistic technique. The pastel medium allows for vibrant color rendition and a sense of immediacy and tactile presence. The use of blues and earth tones in the backdrop contrasts with the darker tones of the woman’s garments and the hat, drawing focus to her as the central figure. Degas’ expertise in conveying the human figure and his penchant for capturing candid moments in time are evident in the subtle details of the woman’s posture and facial expression.
