The artwork titled “Woman Ironing (Silhouette),” created by the renowned artist Edgar Degas in 1873, is an oil on canvas that exemplifies the Impressionist movement. This genre painting is part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, USA. The piece is reflective of Degas’s interest in the lives of ordinary people and depicts a moment from the daily life of a woman engaged in domestic chores.
This evocative painting captures a solitary woman ironing clothes, her silhouette framed against a backdrop that includes hanging garments. The composition is characteristic of Impressionism, focusing on light and movement rather than detail. The brushwork is loose and expressive, with quick dabs and strokes to convey the textures of the clothes and the concentration of the woman at work. The color palette is somewhat muted with a dominance of brown and white tones, emphasizing the simplicity of the scene. Degas’s attention to the play of light and shadow adds depth to the artwork, making the mundane task seem poignant and significant.
