Edgar Degas
Head of a Woman

ArtistFrench, 1834–1917
CultureFrench
Titles
  • Head of a Woman
Date1884
PlaceFrance
MediumPastel on wove paper
DimensionsImage: 19 1/16 × 12 3/16 in. (48.4 × 31 cm)
Credit LineGift of Oveta Culp Hobby
Object number84.406
Not on view

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ProvenanceEstate of the artist [Lugt 658]; Second Degas sale [Paris, Galerie Georges Petit, lot 127, illus.] (known as Buste de femme), December 11-13, 1918; [Paris, Durand-Ruel] [Lemoisne 802] (1); Lucerne, Collection Thannhauser [Lemoisne 802], as of 1946 (2); [New York, Pierre Matisse Gallery], 1949; sold to Oveta Culp Hobby (1905-1995), Houston, 1949—November 19, 1984; given to MFAH, November 19, 1984.

(1) Paul Andre Lemoisne, Degas et son oeuvre (Paris: Paul Brame et C. M. de Hauke aux Arts et Métiers Graphiques, 1946), cat. 802, p. 456-7, illus. (known as Portrait de femme).

(2) On view in the exhibition, Degas, Galerie Thannhauser, Munich, July 1926, no. 10. See Das plastiches werk von Edgas Degas. (Berlin: Kunstarchiv Verlag, 1926).

Exhibition History"The Drawings of Adolf Menzel," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, December 1, 1990–January 27, 1991

"Degas: A New Vision," National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia, June 24–September 18, 2016; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, October 14, 2016–January 8, 2017.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
verso upper left: VI.8b; top stretcher two printed and typed paper labels: IMPRESSIONISTS AND THEIR FOREBEARS FROM BARBIZON exhibition / March 9-April 2, 1961 / Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas "Portrait" 1884, pastel / lent by Mrs. William Pettus Hobby, Houston / The Dallas Museum for Contemporary Arts / 3415 CEDAR SPRINGS . DALLAS 10, TEXAS; THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON / 1001 BISSONNET P.O. BOX 6026 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77265 / ACC: 84.406 TR:395-84 / HILLAIRE GERMAIN-EDGAR DEGAS, French, 1834-1917 / Buste de Femme (Head of a Woman)[underlined], about 1890 / Pastel / Gift of Oveta Culp Hobby / MT 9 May 85

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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