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Melancholy - Edgar Degas - Hand Painted Oil Painting is part of our hand painted oil painting collection from the Edgar Degas Paintings selection. Each canvas is worked by a trained artist, then inspected before dispatch — a practical route to owning impressionist wall decor at a fraction of gallery pricing.
c. 1874
Oil on canvas
The Phillips Collection, United States.
SELDOM Dm THE ARTIST PAINT with such deep feeling as in this small picture where an arresting composition is balanced by profound psychological insight. Always alert to find new effects of lighting, Degas must often have seen a face take on unexpected aspects when firelight played over it; here he captured these subtle reflections, contrasting them with daylight which floods the background of the canvas. The thrust of the figure into a tense, almost cramped pose, is daringly emphasized by the line of the sofa, while the harmony of browns and reds helps to fix attention on the intensely rendered features. Nothing intrudes to spoil this unity of effect and it is typical of Degas that the fireplace is only suggested and not included in the design.
Most often the artist refused to depict in his portraits the outward signs of a deep interior life. A classical restraint kept Degas from seizing moments of despair or stress; he preferred a formal calm. But here he has portrayed a more profound mood. This unknown model staring into the fire stares into herself; the face is subtly charged with the marks of her introspection. It is interesting to note that the somewhat literary title, Melancholy, is not of Degas' choosing. Earlier the picture had been called simply Young Woman Seated on a Sofa, and it is very probable that the artist would have disdained any other name for it.
The fine art subject is rebuilt stroke by stroke in oil, giving the finished canvas the depth expected of impressionist oil painting wall decor.
We use a 100% hand-painted process: stretched artist-grade canvas, layered oil pigment, and a final protective varnish. There are no inkjet prints or mechanical reproductions in this collection — just a painted fine art artwork made to order.
Build a gallery wall gallery wall around this fine art oil painting, or let it stand alone as a single statement. The hand painted canvas finish keeps the fine art composition looking intentional in both classic and contemporary rooms.
| Size | Price |
|---|---|
| 20 X 24 in | $58.48 |
| 24 X 36 in | $91.98 |
| 30 X 40 in | $123.48 |
| 36 X 48 in | $176.98 |
| 48 X 72 in | $329.48 |
The sizes shown are the reproduction canvas sizes we paint to order. The dimensions given in a work's description refer to the original artwork and will differ from the sizes offered here. Not sure? Read the size guide or e-mail us.
Free on orders over $60; a flat $5 below that. Dispatched in 1–2 business days; 30 days to send it back. Full policy.
Every canvas is painted by hand in oils on artist-grade stretched canvas, with an extra blank border left for framing. How to care for your painting.
Measurements are on the size guide, or e-mail [email protected] and we reply within one business day.
