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Degas and the Laundress: Women, Work, and Impressionism
Tags for: Degas and the Laundress: Women, Work, and Impressionism
- Special Exhibition
- Tickets Required
Sunday, October 8, 2023–Sunday, January 14, 2024
Location: 004 Special Exhibition Gallery
The Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Gallery
The Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Gallery
Woman Ironing (detail), c. 1869. Edgar Degas (French, 1834–1917). Oil on canvas; 92.5 x 73.5 cm. Neue Pinakothek, Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Munich, 14310. Photo: bpk Bildagentur / Neue Pinakothek, Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Munich / Art Resource, NY
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About The Exhibition
This groundbreaking exhibition is the first to explore Impressionist artist Edgar Degas’s representations of Parisian laundresses. These working-class women were a visible presence in the city, washing and ironing in shops open to the street or carrying heavy baskets of clothing. Their job was among the most difficult and poorly paid at the time, forcing some laundresses to supplement their income through sex work. The industry fascinated Degas throughout his long career, beginning in the 1850s and continuing until his final decade of work. He created about 30 depictions of laundresses, a selection of which is united for the first time in this exhibition. The artworks from this series—revolutionary in their emphasis on women’s work, the strenuousness of such labor, and social class—were featured in Degas’s earliest and most significant exhibitions, where they were praised by critics as epitomizing modernity.
Degas and the Laundress contextualizes these works with paintings, drawings, and prints of the same subject by the artist’s contemporaries—including Gustave Caillebotte, Berthe Morisot, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec—as well as painters that he influenced and was influenced by, from Honoré Daumier to Pablo Picasso. It also presents ephemera, such as posters, photographs, and books, that reveals the widespread interest that Parisians of all social classes had in the topic of laundresses during the late 1800s.
The exhibition is accompanied by an interdisciplinary, richly illustrated publication featuring thematic essays by scholars of art history, literature, and history.
Docent-Led Exhibition Tours
Exhibition tours are offered at 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, as well as at 7:00 p.m. Wednesdays, October 17 through December 21; tickets required. Select “Tour 3:30 pm” or “Tour 7:00 pm” and your ticket quantity when reserving your exhibition ticket(s) and participate in the tour.
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Degas and the Laundress: Women, Work, and Impressionism
by Britany Salsbury, Associate Curator of Prints and Drawings, The Cleveland Museum of Art, with contributions from Richard Thomson, Professor in History of Art, History of Art, Edinburgh College of Art, Aleksandra Bursac, PhD Candidate, University of Toronto, Claire White, Fellow, Director Studies, Girton College, Cambridge, and Gretchen Schultz, Professor, French and Francophone Studies, Brown University Degas and the Laundress: Women, Work, and Impressionism is the first publication to explore Impressionist artist Edgar Degas’s representations of Parisian laundresses. These working-class women were a visible presence in the city, while washing, ironing, or carrying heavy baskets of clothing. Their job was among the most difficult, dangerous, and poorly paid at the time, forcing some to supplement their income through prostitution. The industry fascinated Degas throughout his long career, beginning in the 1850s and continuing until his final decade of work. The artworks from this series—revolutionary in their emphasis on women’s work, the strenuousness of such labor, and social class—were featured in Degas’s most significant exhibitions and praised by critics as epitomizing modernity. This richly illustrated publication accompanies an exhibition that contextualizes Degas’s series with paintings, drawings, and prints by his contemporaries—including Gustave Caillebotte, Berthe Morisot, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec—as well as artists that he influenced and was influenced by, from Honoré Daumier to Pablo Picasso. Essays by an interdisciplinary range of scholars of art history, literature, and history examine major themes from the exhibition, revealing the widespread interest that Parisians of all social classes had in the topic of laundresses during the late nineteenth century. 242 pagesOctober 2023
Nineteenth-Century French Drawings at the Cleveland Museum of Art
By Britany Salsbury, Associate Curator of Prints and Drawings, The Cleveland Museum of Art. Drawing transformed radically in 19th-century France, expanding from a means of artistic training to an independent medium with rich potential for exploration and experimentation. A variety of materials became available to artists—such as commercially fabricated chalks, pastels, and specialty papers— encouraging figures ranging from Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres to Paul Cezanne to reconsider the place of drawing within their artistic practices. A growing number of public and private exhibition venues began to feature their creations, building an audience attracted by the intimacy of drawings and their unique techniques and subjects. In France and abroad, museums and individuals alike started to actively acquire these works while they were still contemporary art. Nineteenth-Century French Drawings at the Cleveland Museum of Art examines the history of this medium, from preparatory graphite sketches to pastels finished for public display. The publication chronicles the remarkable role that drawings—a cornerstone of the museum’s collection since its opening in 1916—have played throughout the institution’s history. Entries provide insight into nearly 50 artists and the place of drawing within their work, while five essays by leading scholars in the field present new research on the making and collecting of drawings in France during this extraordinary period. Published 2023200 pages with 148 images
Flat Handmade Candle - Edgar Degas Dance Class at the Opera
"Hand-painted á Drip Resistant á Twin wicks burn evenly á Self-extinguishing á Unscented and smoke-free Hand-painted in Lithuania, these candles stand out in their simplicity. The flatter design is a unique approach to candles that have a minimal and eye-catching feel. The twin wicks burn evenly and self-extinguish as they near the steel base, without any dripping wax or smoke. -Handmade using the highest quality German raw materials -Twin wicks ensure candle burns evenly and self-extinguishes as it nears the base -Steel stand helps make candle attractive display piece and doubles as a snuffer -Non-dripping, evaporates as it burns -Unscented and smoke-free -Every candle is hand painted -Creative gift and great stocking stuffer -Fits perfectly inside a greeting card Burning time: 3-4 hours Made in Lithuania Materials: Highly Refined Paraffin wax, Steel, Organic Cotton Wick Includes: One handmade flat candle and steel stand Dimensions: 2.4"" x 0.4"" x 5.9"" Weight: 0.22 lb"
The Ballet Class Wireless Charging Disk
Wireless, effortless, and super-fast charging. Simply place your phone on the plugged-in pad, charge & go! Keep one at your nightstand and desk so your phone stays fully charged all day. -Wireless output: 10-WATT fast charge enabled -Anti-slip surface -Charges all Qi-enabled devices. Check full compatibility of models in the compatibility section below. -Charges through most standard cases -LED light indicator confirms charge initiation upon contact -Includes one USB cord to plug pad into wall piece or computer Compatibility: -iPhone8 and newer generations -Samsung Galaxy S7 and newer generations -Many other Qi-enabled phones. Check your phone model for compatibility.
Sponsors
Principal support is provided by Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP. Major support is provided by the John P. Murphy Foundation. Additional support is provided by Christie’s, the FRench American Museum Exchange (FRAME), Carl M. Jenks, Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Porter Jr., and the Simon Family Foundation, a supporting foundation of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland.
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This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
All exhibitions at the Cleveland Museum of Art are underwritten by the CMA Fund for Exhibitions. Principal annual support is provided by Michael Frank and the late Pat Snyder, the John and Jeanette Walton Exhibition Fund, and the late Roy L. Williams. Generous annual support is provided by an anonymous supporter, the late Dick Blum and Harriet Warm, Gary and Katy Brahler, Cynthia and Dale Brogan, Dr. Ben and Julia Brouhard, Brenda and Marshall Brown, Richard and Dian Disantis, the Jeffery Wallace Ellis Trust in memory of Lloyd H. Ellis Jr., Leigh and Andy Fabens, the Frankino-Dodero Family Fund for Exhibitions Endowment, Janice Hammond and Edward Hemmelgarn, Carl T. Jagatich, Eva and Rudolf Linnebach, William S. and Margaret F. Lipscomb, Bill and Joyce Litzler, Lu Anne and the late Carl Morrison, Jeffrey Mostade and Eric Nilson and Varun Shetty, Tim O’Brien and Breck Platner, William J. and Katherine T. O’Neill, Michael and Cindy Resch, Betty T. and David M. Schneider, the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation, Margaret and Loyal Wilson, the Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art, and Claudia Woods and David Osage.