Degas' After the Bath: Style, Symbolism & Formal Elements

Introduction: Degas as a Late Impressionist

This paper analyzes Edgar Degas' After the Bath with respect to his stylistic choices, examining subject matter and formal elements such as composition, line, texture, mass, and volume. Central questions include how Degas used color and light, how he organized design principles of balance, rhythm, and proportion, and whether the painting tells a story or simply offers a photographic glimpse of reality. The paper also considers what symbolism and imagery are evident in the work and how effectively the artist used his materials to create a particular impression or illustrate a theme.

Many art experts place Degas' work among that of the Impressionists, though some argue he belongs at the tail end of that movement — focused less on light and subdued color and more on his subjects' movement. This is not to say that he avoided light and color entirely to convey his message. As Anthea Callen writes: "Degas' culture made it inevitable that he represent masculine desire and anxieties about masculine identity evoked by such desire through an apparently detached masculine scrutiny of the female body" (6). It is because of his blatant obsessions that such passion can be revealed to the viewer. His intensity is apparent throughout the depth of his work, and his critical drive to push boundaries reflects his pursuit of "the great Neoclassicist's linear perfection" (Hartt, 850). According to the art historian Hartt, "Degas defined the goal of his own style succinctly as 'bewitching the truth'" (851).

Degas can be categorized as a late Impressionist because of his literal interpretation of the movement. He was analytical in his choices, working to "accurately and objectively record visual reality in terms of transient effects of light and color" (Pioch, par. 1). This attention to detail helped usher in other bold artists of the time, such as Paul Gauguin and Georges Seurat. One reason many art historians do not consider Degas a true Impressionist is his apparent dislike of nature and his preference for working in a studio (Edgar Degas, par. 3).

Personal Choice and Emotional Response

Degas worked with many types of materials, from charcoal to oils to chalk-like pastels. After the Bath is composed of pastels on paper. This particular work is a solid representation of Degas' style and genius. While it is not as whimsical as some of his other works — in either color choice or subject — it nonetheless evokes powerful emotions from the viewer.

An immediate gut reaction to this artwork is one of unadulterated, pure attraction. One cannot resist the urge to keep looking, with a sense of having stumbled upon something deeply private. With that first response comes an element of surprise at acknowledging the subject's nudity, followed quickly by a possible sense of embarrassment — the feeling of having interrupted a very intimate moment and ritual. Yet it is precisely the not knowing, the inability to see her face, that makes looking at this work so thrilling and compelling. By denying eye contact with the subject, Degas creates an air of mystery and makes it almost acceptable to enjoy the sight of her in this moment of simply drying off after a bath.

The Subject Matter

The subject matter of this artwork is a young naked woman in the process of drying herself after a bath. The setting is possibly her own bedroom or that of a lover. The surroundings are decorated in the typical style of the period, and what is particularly noticeable is a wallpaper design suggesting an upper-class household. The delicate pattern of roses only emphasizes her femininity, making the scene all the more alluring and pleasurable to observe.

This work is not a portrait in the classical sense. It is more akin to a realist photograph rendered in paint — displaying a realism that can only be compared with photography. Ironically, the subject's action creates a kind of stillness, a moment of suspended time, as though the viewer has stolen a glimpse of pure beauty. This idea is equally ironic in that her nudity could, from certain social standpoints, evoke thoughts of obscenity and disgust. How can something so beautiful also carry connotations of transgression? Could this be Degas' message to the viewer, or was he simply painting the subject for art's sake and his own contemplation? The argument here is that he was affirming that women are beautiful at all times, even in the most ordinary and private of moments. The voyeuristic aspect adds only a guilty pleasure. Perhaps he was also commenting that such moments are meant for certain eyes alone — hence the intimate backdrop of a bedroom.

The subject brings up a contradiction of thoughts. It exhibits aspects of imagery and symbolism that reward closer examination. In her nude state, she symbolizes purity. Her ritual of drying off after a bath reminds the viewer of cleanliness and, by extension, purity — an almost sacred innocence. The use of a light color close to white reinforces the imagery of the maiden. She may be touching her own body in the act of drying, but this represents her as untouched, unattainable, and ideal. As a woman, she symbolizes fertility and life. Her nudity only emphasizes her sexuality as a woman; she is the forbidden fruit. The surroundings continue this theme: the wallpaper painted with roses in full bloom further accents the lushness of her form. The red rose carries in literary tradition the meaning of true love — pure and unattainable. In juxtaposition with the subject, the roses remind the viewer that she, too, is in full bloom.

One can only speculate what the subject meant to Degas as an artist. The suggestion here is that she represents all that a woman can be: vital, full, and life-giving — not only in the literal sense but in the way she affects everyone around her. By making her anonymous, without a visible face, Degas both protects her and keeps her for himself. This is the essence of a particular ideal of pure and devoted love: a woman is only fully revealed to one person, and that person should cherish her.

Conclusion

Degas effectively used his materials and formal elements to illustrate a clear theme: that of woman and women's potential as a pure symbol of love. However, the beauty of this artwork is that it can be interpreted oppositely. A viewer can also read the subject's nudity as transgressive — as something that places her outside acceptable society. It is argued here that this was not the artist's intention. Degas appears to have been focused entirely on studying his subject physically, for the sake of capturing movement, and also for his own contemplative gratification. His proficiency in the study of movement is what makes the painting all the more fascinating. Although the scene is still and realistic in feeling, it carries an anticipation of the next movement. In this respect, he was successful. The painting is also successful in that it influences the viewer's emotions on multiple levels — lustful and peaceful at once.

In summary, this paper has examined Degas' After the Bath with respect to his stylistic choices, exploring the subject matter through the lenses of imagery and symbolism as well as formal elements and design principles. He effectively used these concepts to evoke emotions from the viewer on many levels, demonstrating why his work continues to occupy a significant place in the history of Post-Impressionist and late Impressionist art.

Works Cited

Callen, Anthea. The Spectacular Body: Science, Method, and Meaning in the Work of Degas. New Haven: Yale Press, 1995.

Edgar Degas. 10 Dec. 2004. http://www.expo-degas.com/2.cfm/.

Edgar Degas: Biography. 10 Dec. 2004. http://www.abcgallery.com/D/degas/degasbio.html.

Hartt, Frederick. Art: A History of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1989.

Pioch, Nicolas. Impressionism. 10 Dec. 2004.

The Impressionism. 10 Dec. 2004. http://www.perso.wanadoo.fr/art-deco.france/impressionismeng.htm.