The artwork titled “Portrait of Josephine Gaujelin” is an oil on canvas painting by Edgar Degas, dating back to 1867. This portrait is an example of the Impressionism art movement, a genre in which Degas was notably involved, although with a unique approach that often incorporated elements of classical composition. The dimensions of the artwork are 35 x 26.5 cm. It currently resides in the Kunsthalle Hamburg, in Hamburg, Germany.
In the artwork, the subject, Josephine Gaujelin, is portrayed with an arresting gaze that engages the viewer directly. Her face is rendered with subtle tonal variations, capturing the softness of her skin and the depth of her eyes. The palette is relatively muted, with a predominance of earthy tones that provide a warm contrast to the cooler, blurred background. The brushwork is characteristic of Degas’s style, with a focus on the play of light and shadow that brings a sense of volume and texture to Josephine’s features and attire. The precision in the depiction of her face gives the artwork a sense of immediacy and intimacy, typical of Degas’s portraits, which often reveal a psychological depth and a focus on the individual character of the sitter.
