The Jockey by Degas

Plunging the viewer into the heart of the racecourse activity, this emblematic painting by Degas Edgar belongs to his famous equestrian series of the Impressionist movement under the title of “The Jockey”. Passionate about the power of horses and the elegance of riders, the artist explores here the suspended moments preceding the start. This work is fully in line with his modern desire to capture the action in its most fleeting truth.

The pictorial space of this asymmetrical composition is dominated on the right by the massive head in close-up of a brown horse in profile to the left. To his left, two other riders in orange and yellow silks wait patiently in the center. On the far left, a jockey seen from behind in a dark orange jacket and white trousers sits quietly on his powerful brown mount. The background landscape features a green meadow under a low, cloudy sky, bathed in soft pink shades that reinforce the spontaneity of this stolen moment.

The pictorial technique reveals the virtuosity and freedom of the artist through rapid and fragmented touches. Edgar Degas renounces meticulous details in favor of the overall impression and the suggestion of speed. His perfect mastery of anatomical drawing allows him to restore the nervous musculature of the horses with great accuracy.