Portrait of Achille de Gas in the Uniform of a Cadet by Edgar Degas

Portrait of Achille de Gas in the Uniform of a Cadet - Edgar Degas - Canvas Wall Art

At a Glance

Upgrade your walls with Portrait of Achille de Gas in the Uniform of a Cadet - Edgar Degas - Canvas Wall Art. Every figurative reproduction is painted entirely by hand, so the surface carries the depth and variation of an original oil painting rather than the flatness of a digital canvas print.

Composition & Subject

1856-1857
Oil on canvas
National Gallery of Art - Washington, United States.

MOST OF DEGAS' EARLY PORTRAITS were of his brothers or sisters or of himself. Members of his family often told how they posed indefatigably for him. In this restrained portrait of his brother Achille, painted in the uniform of a naval cadet, the artist followed in part the tradition of Ingres, his great idol in painting. The somber color scheme, with its reddish brown background and simple dark silhouette, the careful emphasis on drawing, and the solidly modeled head all point to the Neo-Classical strain in Degas' earlier portraits. And yet there is a directness and modesty already apparent which is the artist's own contribution. In his first portraits Degas had been inclined to imitate poses from Renaissance masters; here the pose is more casual, and Achille looks out with a straightforward gaze which lacks entirely the formality of Ingres. Incisive pencil drawings preceded the painting and in the portrait itself, naturalness, rather than Neo-Classical perfection, was Degas' goal. Undoubtedly he was influenced both by Corot, who painted reticent and sympathetic portraits, and Chasseriau, who was warming up Ingres' colder style by an infusion of Romantic feeling.

Collectors often choose this figurative image when searching for portrait oil painting that feels substantial rather than decorative or disposable.

Materials & Craftsmanship

Oil on canvas remains the reference standard for impressionist reproductions. Our artists apply pigment by hand, blending the figurative tones directly on the surface for depth that a printed portrait oil painting simply cannot match.

Specifications & What You Receive

• Painted entirely by hand in oils on artist-grade canvas, with no giclée or inkjet process involved.
• An extra 2-inch blank border is left around all edges for easy stretching and framing.
• We dispatch worldwide ourselves, so there are no middlemen in the chain.
• Available canvas sizes for this hand painted oil painting: 20 X 24 in, 24 X 36 in, 30 X 40 in, 36 X 48 in, 48 X 72 in.
• Any size you need can be produced — just tell us your preferred dimensions.
• Flexible shipping through DHL, UPS, FedEx, USPS and partner networks.
• We stretch your canvas onto wooden bars at no extra charge, and can arrange custom framing.
• Before dispatch we email a digital proof so you can approve the finished canvas.

Wall Decor & Gifting

impressionist canvas wall art is one of the easiest ways to warm a bedroom. Pair this piece with natural linen, dark wood, or brushed brass, and let the hand painted surface do the rest.

Shipping & Guarantee

Browse our Edgar Degas Paintings selection for related figurative canvases, or commission this figurative image in a custom size. Every order is a hand painted oil painting, never a printed poster.