Copy painting on canvas of the artwork
Bather Drying Herself (Degas)

This monochrome study is of striking sensuality and simplicity. On paper tinted with a warm ocher tone, Degas draws with charcoal and white chalk the bare back of a woman bending over to dry herself. The artist focuses on lines, volumes, and light. The white chalk highlights catch the light on the woman’s spine, shoulder blades, and hair, giving an impression of relief and life to the skin. The posture is natural, not idealized, capturing a moment of raw intimacy. It is a masterful example of Degas’s skill as a draftsman, able to suggest form and texture with remarkable economy of means. The work is a pure celebration of the female body and the beauty of its forms.