Edgar Degas, Portrait of Elena Carafa
ca 1875Paintings sorted by   Historical period  |   Painter  |  Subject matter  |  Pigments used
Overview
Medium: oil
Support:Â canvas
Size:Â 70,1 x 55 cm
Art movements:Â Impressionism, Realism
National Gallery London
NG4167
The sitter for this portrait, Elena Carafa, was Degas’ first cousin, who lived with her sister Camilla and their mother Stefanina, Duchess Montejasi-Cicerale, in Naples.
The portrait of Elena Carafa by Edgar Degas shows an assured young lady who was a first cousin to the painter.
The pigment analysis revealed a limited palette consisting of artificial ultramarine, madder lake, emerald green, and vermilion.
Pigments
Pigment Analysis
This pigment analysis is based on the work of the scientists at the National Gallery London (1).
1 Blue-green shawl: emerald green, artificial ultramarine, and white with small amounts of other pigments.
2Â Pale greenish wall:Â emerald green with white and a trace of black
3 Darker red wall: vermilion intensified with a glaze of transparent madder lake.
4 Red flower in Elena’s hair: vermilion.
5Â Red curtain: vermilion.
6 The dark shadow behind the chair: black pigment mixed with varying amounts of red ochre, overpainted with a glaze of transparent madder lake.
References
(1) Bomford D, Herring S, Kirby J, Riopelle C, Roy A. Art in the Making: Degas. London: National Gallery Company, 2004, pp. 116-119.
Pigments Used in This Painting
Resources
Videos
Video: 'Edgar Degas' by documentary tv
Video: 'Edgar Degas: A collection of 658 paintings (HD)' by LearnFromMasters
Publications and Websites
Publications
(1) Bomford D, Herring S, Kirby J, Riopelle C, Roy A. Art in the Making: Degas. London: National Gallery Company, 2004, pp. 116-119.
