Femme vue de dos, étude de drapé de la traîne de sa robe

This sumptuous study superbly mixes two of Degas' strengths: his more traditional inclination to the study of textures and draperies, and his unconventional, utterly modern approach to the framing of the image, strongly influenced by his contemporary experiments with photography (see fig. 2).

A woman draped in a rich silk gown is seen from the back, moving away from the spectator: if the choice of the subject is severely academic, the preference for a rear-view and the cropping of her feet and head convey a sense of mystery and deceived expectations. This device enhances the sensually charged atmosphere of the drawing, almost entirely taken over by the exuberant mass of fabric, beautifully shining at the touch of light. Degas' subtle combination of the charcoal and white chalk - elegantly emphasising the folds in the woman's waist and shoulders - reaches in this sheet a level of rare accomplishment and bravura.