French Etching 'Une Client Serieux' by Degas 'An Important Customer' 1938

It depicts a prostitute's 'maisin clos' or 'Salon', as a good customer inspects the wares and makes his selection for the evening. It is a small vignette of the life of the working poor in Paris during the Victorian era. According to Pablo Picasso the Degas brothel etchings represent what art should be about... "the smelly, brutish, ugly, carnal, pig-face of reality"

Originally printed in 1876, this Etching is one of a series of 40 plates entitled 'Les Monotypes' and is part of a limited edition series printed by Bouan of Paris~sanctioned by the artist's family after his death~in 1938.

Printed in black on deep cream Velin du Maraise paper (watermarked) and with a firm and deep plate imprint it is, as with most Degas etchings, unsigned.

The sheet measures 9" x 11 1/2" and the subject is 6 1/4" x 8 1/3". In Condition A, with no creases or stains. With just a slight all over age yellowing of the paper and a little 'ruffling' of the lower left hand edge of the sheet, consistent with this being more than 70 years old.

I am also listing a companion Etching by Degas, from the same series, which, when framed together would make a wonderful matching pair. See item #RL00117. I would consider a 'special' price for the pair. Please contact me via email.

Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas (1834-1917), was born in Paris and began his illustrious career by making copies of famous works hanging in he Louvre. Described as an Impressionist he was influenced by the Japanese woodblock prints which were becoming popular in Europe at the time. He started painting dancers in 1868, and it became his passion and along with the seedy side of Montmartre life was the subject of most of his many works. He began experimenting with the mono-type etching process in the 1860's and became a proficient etcher, although most of his etchings were not published until after his death. Hence the lack of a signature.

Item ID: RL00118