Degas Mandatory Comments

Question 1

💗 Material comments 1💗

Answer 1

Degas has used his materials in 2 distinctly different ways. He has used a tiny brush and more controlled strokes to craft the face of the woman. In contrast, he has used a large brush and more loose strokes to create the background and areas beneath the woman such as her skirts and the floor. This allows the detailed face to become the object of interest

Question 2

💗material comments 2💗

Answer 2

The fact he is using the material of oil paint means that Degas can create smooth, glossy edges to objects within his piece. This is because oil paint travels in a free flowing movement unlike something dry like chalk or oil pastel . We can see this effect on the edges of the tables and highlights within the bottle

Question 3

💗materials 3 💗

Answer 3

The material of oil paint is thick in consistency and allows for layers to be built up. This means degas has been able to communicate the impressions of movement in her hands beneath the table , the paint is blurred and thick

Question 4

💗scale 1 💗

Answer 4

Degas has approached scale in a very proportionate way. The size of the glasses , bottles, tables and figures are all exactly as you would expect- they are in proportion. This helps us to read this painting as a realistic, understandable scene which we could engage with easily , helping us to feel empathy for the woman

Question 5

💗scale 2💗

Answer 5

The scale of the tables reduces as they recede away from our eye. Degas has done this to emphasise the fact that the are set back from us and there is space between us and them. This emphasises the helplessness we feel as we can’t reach her easily

Question 6

💗 techniques 1 💗

Answer 6

Degas has use the techniques of oil painting. Oil paints are made by mixing dry pigment powders with linseed oil to produce a paste. linseed oil allows the pigment to stay wet for weeks which allows Degas to work back into the painting day after day. Therefore he can build up his image to a carefully refined state over as much time as he needs.

Question 7

💗techniques 2 💗

Answer 7

Degas has used a variety of techniques with his brush tight, intricate, brushwork for the ladies face, and loose, more sporadic, brushwork for her skirt and surroundings. This allows her face to become the main point of interest.

Question 8

💚 subject matter 3 💚

Answer 8

The subject matter is also of the drink itself; absinthe. we see a glass on the table in front of the woman. It appears to have dulled her senses as her expression is vacant. Degas could be commenting on the effects of alcohol on his society

Question 9

💗techniques 3 💗

Answer 9

Degas’ oil painting technique allows him to create smooth glossy edges to objects within his peace. This is because the oil paint travels in a free-flowing movement unlike something dry like chalk or oil pastels. We can see this effect on the edges of the tables and the highlights within the bottle.

Question 10

💗working methods 1 💗

Answer 10

Degas working methods include making sketches of figures in cafés, restaurants and other sociable spaces. This will allow him to soak up the atmosphere of the surroundings and capture busy figure filled scenes in a sketchbook lending his pieces more authenticity and energy.

Question 11

💗working methods 2💗

Answer 11

His working method then turned to drawing from models Often people that he knew working from real life in the studio, who has imbued his portraits with a depth and precision that couldn’t be achieved from watching fast-moving figures in a café they’re exact, and really look like the couple themselves as seen in photos

Question 12

💗working methods 3 💗

Answer 12

Degas used photography as a working method. This allowed him to capture unusual angles and use diagonal viewpoints as clearly seen in absinthe

Question 13

💚 subject matter 1 💚

Answer 13

The subject matter of this piece is the loneliness experienced by people in Paris in the late 19th century, Degas conveys his subject by showing the lady with the unfocused, downward gaze, looking sad and lonely, despite the fact she’s next to a man.

Question 14

💚 subject matter 2 💚

Answer 14

Degas emphasises the feeling of isolation by showing the subject (the woman) trapped behind a barricade of tables. We feel unable to reach her and she looks to have no escape route. This creates empathy for the woman, and we can identify with her feelings more.

Question 15

💚mood and atmosphere 1 💚

Answer 15

The mood and atmosphere of this piece is distressing as we feel very sorry for the woman digger shows her with unfocused downwards gaze, slumped shoulders and looking very sad

Question 16

💚 mood and atmosphere 2 💚

Answer 16

The lonely mood and atmosphere is intensified by the fact that she’s sitting close to a man, but he appears to be ignoring her. He’s leaning forward in using his arms as a barrier between him and her he’s also looking away.

Question 17

💚 mood and atmosphere 3 💚

Answer 17

The mood and atmosphere is quite depressing. We feel a bit low looking at the scene. This is contributed to by the fact that degas has used a very sombre colour palette, consisting of browns in the clothing, dirty grey for the table tops and black for the mans suit, these are not uplifting colours, so we automatically feel slightly low as a result

Question 18

💚 style 1 💚

Answer 18

The style of degas piece is impressionist, but only in places. The paint has been applied in a blurry haphazard way for the skirts floor and background. It is impossible to see her hands as the painting creates an impression of where the hand should be rather than a detailed image.

Question 19

💚 style 2 💚

Answer 19

In other areas, the style is that of realism, he’s created a sharp likeness of the model by using a very small brush and controlled strokes. Her facial structure is meticulously rendered and appears realistic.

Question 20

💚 style 3 💚

Answer 20

The painting has a melancholy raw style, which exposes the reality of life in 19th-century Paris. Degas has not glamorised or polished the scene. It is gritty and honest.

Question 21

💚 colour 1 💚

Answer 21

Overall, the colour scheme is very restrained, no brilliant aquamarine or vibrant crimsons. This creates a subdued and slightly melancholy atmosphere.

Question 22

💚 colour 2 💚

Answer 22

Degas has used one bright colour and that is yellow. We see this in the ruffles of the ladies blouse. This welcoming, golden tone draws our eyes to her, reinforcing her as the focal point.

Question 23

💚 colour 3 💚

Answer 23

Degas has used grey colours for the table tops, but they seem a dirty grey with streaks and smudges of a darker grey and cream. This makes us feel the tables are dirty and the bar is not a very salubrious place.

Question 24

💙 influences 1 💙

Answer 24

Japanese Prints: Degas was heavily influenced by his interest in Japanese prints, prints are known for their distinctive shapes, angular compositions and angular viewpoints. We see this influence in Absinthe the unusual composition filled with diagonal lines from the tables, and the viewpoint not being centred.

Question 25

💙 influences 2 💙

Answer 25

Parisian nightlife: Degas was heavily influenced by the city in which he lived – Paris. He would visit and socialise in the bars, and Cafes, absorbing the visual scene around him and portraying what he found in his work. This is easily evidenced in the subject matter of absinthe two forlorn people drowning their sorrows in a dingy café

Question 26

💙 influences 3 💙

Answer 26

Photography: take, I was influenced by the invention of the camera, and his interest in photography. This is evident in his paintings, cropped appearance with objects disappearing out of the frame – this shows the Degas was using the viewfinder on his camera to explore potential compositions and perspectives.

Question 27

💙influences 4 💙

Answer 27

Degas was also heavily influenced by his studies of the great masters. Renaissance artists like Michelangelo and Raphael, and he often spent hours trying to replicate their paintings. We see this in absinthe in the woman’s face. The paint has been meticulously applied to create a realistic look, which is shared by many Renaissance paintings