Pastel Journal - USA (2019-09)

GIFTED BY SIR WILLIAM AND LADY BURRELL TO THE CITY OF GLASGOW, 1944; BURRELL COLLECTION: PICTURES, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND; PHOTO BY

PRINT COLLECTOR/GETTY IMAGES

Looking at this painting, I notice anomalies: the
segmented, clunky shapes of Duranty’s sleeve;
the indistinct fingers of the raised hand; a poorly
drawn ink bottle; and the weakly executed
shelves at left. Yet, so powerful is the overall
atmosphere,a depictionofintellectandfatigue,
thatnoneofthisdetractsfromtheimage.

Degas was a restless experimenter, an expert of mixed

media long before the term was invented. Most of Portrait

of Edmond Duranty was painted in water-based pigment,

with the notable exception of Duranty himself. Degas used

pastel to construct the sitter’s head, hands and body. This

could have had the effect of separating the figure from

hisenvironment,soit’sa testamenttoDegas’masteryof

colorandtonethattheelementsholdtogethersowell.

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