Race Horses (ca. 1885–88)
Technique: Giclée quality print
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More about this artwork
"Race Horses" by Edgar Degas, painted around 1885–1888, captures an intimate and dynamic moment in the sport of horse racing. This work, showcasing Degas's adeptness at depicting movement and his keen observational capabilities, features a group of jockeys atop their spirited mounts, settled against a vast, open landscape. Each rider, distinctive in vibrant racing silks, is portrayed in a state of calm anticipation, contrasting dynamically with the inherent energy of their steeds.Degas’s use of loose, expressive brushstrokes intensifies the sense of motion and the immediacy of the scene, while his mastery in the use of color emphasizes the lushness of the field and soft, earthy tones of the backdrop. The horizon is speckled with the distant architecture, perhaps suggesting the peripheral presence of a nearby town.A key figure in the Impressionist movement, though often diverging from some of its conventions, Degas challenges the traditional compositions of horse racing art by focusing on casual, rather than competitive, moments of the race. This gives viewers a rare, almost candid glimpse into the world of racing, while maintaining a sense of timeless elegance and poetic grace.