A Roman Beggar Woman - Edgar Degas
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
Secure checkout
Made to order
Description
An early oil painting by Edgar Degas, capturing a seated woman in profile with a focus on texture, light, and classical composition.
Painted in 1857, A Roman Beggar Woman belongs to the early period of Edgar Degas, during his formative years spent in Italy. At this stage of his career, the artist was deeply engaged with the traditions of the Old Masters, particularly the works he studied in Rome and Florence. This painting reflects a departure from the later, more experimental techniques associated with his Impressionist works, showing instead a disciplined approach to form, light, and classical composition.
The subject is depicted in profile, seated against a plain, textured wall. The figure wears a heavy, striped headscarf and a layered, earth-toned garment, which Degas renders with careful attention to the weight and fall of the fabric. The palette is dominated by ochre, brown, and muted terracotta tones, creating a sense of gravity and stillness. The lighting is focused, illuminating the side of the woman's face and her hands, while the background remains in shadow. This use of chiaroscuro draws the viewer's attention to the textures of her clothing and the weathered quality of her features.
Degas captures the subject with a sense of detachment, avoiding sentimentality. The composition is structured and balanced, typical of his academic training. The presence of a small bowl and a piece of bread on the floor provides a narrative context, identifying the woman's social position. This work offers a glimpse into the artist's early development, demonstrating his technical proficiency and his interest in the human figure long before he turned his attention to the ballet dancers and racehorses that would define his later reputation. The painting remains a clear example of his ability to observe and record the world with precision, using a traditional medium to explore the realities of everyday life in mid-nineteenth-century Italy.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
Shipping
We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
A Roman Beggar Woman - Edgar Degas
Artist Biography
Edgar Degas
More than half of his entire output depicts dancers. He became a fixture at the Paris Opera, watching from the wings and from boxes above the stage, sketching not the performance but the work behind it: the stretching, the waiting, the adjusting of shoes, the corrections from the ballet master. The backstage fatigue interested him more than the applause.
In 1881, he exhibited Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, a two-thirds life-size wax figure of Marie van Goethem, a real student at the Opera ballet school. She wore a real tutu, real ballet slippers, and a wig of human hair, all coated in wax. Critics called it repulsive. One described the girl as having a face marked by the hateful promise of every vice. Wax was a material for anatomical specimens, not art. It was the only sculpture he exhibited in his lifetime. After his death, 150 more wax figures were found in his studio, many falling apart.
His eyesight began failing during the Franco-Prussian War. By his forties he had lost central vision. By fifty-seven he could not read. The deterioration drove him from fine brushwork to bolder strokes, then to pastels, then to sculpture he could work by touch. He avoided daylight and painted under controlled artificial light. Collectors joked they should chain their Degas paintings to the wall, because he would try to take them back to rework them. He compulsively revised everything.
He disliked being called an Impressionist. He preferred Realist or Independent. He never painted outdoors, which was supposedly the whole point of the movement. Despite this, he co-founded the group, organised their exhibitions, and showed in all eight. He said: there is love and there is art and we only have one heart. He never married.
Why Choose Us ?
Damage-free delivery guarantee
Fast Shipping
Museum-Quality Materials
You May Also Like