Copy painting on canvas of the artwork
Women on a Café Terrace, Evening (Degas)

This pastel from the Musée d’Orsay is a striking vision of Parisian nightlife. Several women, in elaborate hats and outfits, are seated on a café terrace. The harsh light from the gas lamps sculpts the faces and forms, creating deep shadows and unusual colors. The woman in the center, dressed in blue, holds an object to her mouth, her expression is ambiguous. The composition, with pillars fragmenting the view, gives the impression of a stolen glance. Degas captures the electric and slightly seedy atmosphere of the Parisian boulevards in the late 19th century.