Woman Seated in an Armchair, Wiping Her Left Armpit

Art Historical Context

In the late 1890s, Edgar Degas crafted *Woman Seated in an Armchair, Wiping Her Left Armpit*, a intimate mixed-media sculpture that captures a private, unguarded moment. Standing just under 11 inches tall, the figure is modeled in pigmented beeswax and plastiline over a metal armature, with cork details and a wooden base. This unconventional medium allowed Degas to achieve lifelike textures—soft skin, tousled hair, and relaxed musculature—reflecting his fascination with the female form in everyday vulnerability. Degas, a master of Impressionism who preferred the label "Realist," produced over 150 such wax sculptures in his final decades, many discovered in his studio after his 1917 death. Unlike his celebrated pastels of ballet dancers, these works delve into domestic scenes of women bathing, dressing, or resting, challenging Victorian ideals of beauty with raw naturalism. The armchair's curve cradles the figure in a moment of personal hygiene, emphasizing Degas' innovative use of sculpture to freeze fleeting, unposed gestures. Today, this piece from the National Gallery of Art's Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon highlights Degas' experimental side, bridging painting and three-dimensional art. Its candid intimacy invites viewers to ponder the humanity behind polished perfection.

About the Artist

Edgar Degas · 1834–1917

Edgar Degas (1834-1917) stands as one of the most innovative artists of the nineteenth century, whose distinctive vision transformed how modern life could be depicted on canvas. Born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas in Paris to a wealthy banking family—his father French, his mother a Louisiana Creole from New Orleans—Degas received a classical education before abandoning law studies in 1855 to pursue ...