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Lot Essay
During the 1890's, the painter Edgar Degas turned his exploration of the visual world to the camera and began to experiment with this new, instantaneous technology. It is likely that he used a handheld George Eastman Kodak. However, instead of the modern technology of roll film, he prefered the glass plates and tripod used by photography's forerunners.
A close friend and contemporary of Degas, Ludovic Halvy was well known for his writing for the theater and fiction. The late portraits of the Halvy family, including this subtle study of his close friend are a telling record of their relationship with Degas. This friendship would be severed two years later by the Dreyfus Affair.
Degas presents an intimate portrait of his good friend. He captures Halvy, relaxed, yet also somewhat introspective. Through the use of bright lamps and dark background, his half shadowed face is highlighted by a lacy chair cover while juxtaposed against the patterned screen (See: Christie's, New York, 23 April 1996, lots 26, 27 for other examples of Degas' photographic work).
A similar print from this same series is in collection of The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.
This print will be included in the catalogue raisonne (cat. no. 14B) of Degas' photographic work produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art to accompany their upcoming exhibition, Edgar Degas, Photographer, 9 October 1998 - 3 January 1999.
A close friend and contemporary of Degas, Ludovic Halvy was well known for his writing for the theater and fiction. The late portraits of the Halvy family, including this subtle study of his close friend are a telling record of their relationship with Degas. This friendship would be severed two years later by the Dreyfus Affair.
Degas presents an intimate portrait of his good friend. He captures Halvy, relaxed, yet also somewhat introspective. Through the use of bright lamps and dark background, his half shadowed face is highlighted by a lacy chair cover while juxtaposed against the patterned screen (See: Christie's, New York, 23 April 1996, lots 26, 27 for other examples of Degas' photographic work).
A similar print from this same series is in collection of The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.
This print will be included in the catalogue raisonne (cat. no. 14B) of Degas' photographic work produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art to accompany their upcoming exhibition, Edgar Degas, Photographer, 9 October 1998 - 3 January 1999.