Carlo Pellegrini by Degas

This essence and pastel drawing by Degas Edgar, bearing the title “Carlo Pellegrini”, offers a striking portrait of an elegant man captured on the spot. The work belongs to the realist tradition of the artist, who excelled at capturing the characteristic posture and attitude of his Parisian contemporaries in their daily lives. This vigorous sketch reflects the painter’s desire to document modern life through informal portraits that are deeply revealing of his models’ personalities.

The model, a bearded man with red hair brushed back, is represented standing in profile, facing right against a neutral beige background. He is dressed in a smart dark suit consisting of a loose jacket and trousers, with the white collar of his shirt visible. His left hand, concealed behind his back, holds a black top hat, while his right hand is raised to chest height, his fingers curled to hold an invisible cigarette. The background, brushed with light green strokes evoking distant treetops, suggests an outdoor walk. The uniform and soft light highlights the clean outline of his silhouette and his proud stature, reinforcing his elegant presence.

The artist’s craftsmanship lies in the precision of his contour line and the economy of means used to suggest volume. Degas Edgar uses flat areas of color applied with essence to model the silhouette, demonstrating his prodigious sense of drawing and movement captured on the spot.