Actresses in their Dressing Rooms (1879-1880)

Edgar Degas is the artist behind "Actresses in their Dressing Rooms", dated 1879-1880. Context for 1879-1880: Japanese prints reached Europe in large numbers and influenced many artists, while photography changed what painting needed to do. In the 1890s, colour lithography and Art Nouveau made the illustrated poster a celebrated art form. Drawings, a short history: Artists have long used drawings to plan paintings, sculptures, and buildings, so a sketch can show how an idea developed. Drawings range from quick preparatory sketches to finished works in pen, chalk, charcoal, graphite, or wash. The catalogue places it in Drawings. The format is landscape.

Buying "Actresses in their Dressing Rooms" means getting a digital file, not a physical print: Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI, delivered by email once payment is confirmed. A 300 DPI file is intended for printing at home or at a local print shop, where you can choose a matte, satin, or fine-art paper to suit the room. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. Drawings and sketches stand out through line clarity and a sense of the artist process, which makes them a natural fit for minimalist, monochrome, and graphic interiors. A simple frame with a mat often helps an image settle comfortably into a room. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing.

French, 1834–1917

If you like the visual language of Edgar Degas, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.