Before the Race

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Degas returned to the theme of horse and rider time and again throughout his career. Scholars believe that he executed the first version of this composition of four jockeys on hors eback in a charcoal and pastel drawing. Several years later, he traced the composition, reversing its orientation to create the highly finished Cleveland pastel. The palette is intensified, the distance between the second and third jockeys is increased, and the foliage along the horizon has been added to suggest a lush spring day. Title Before the Race Creator Edgar Degas (French, 1834¨C1917) Date Created c. 1887¨C89 Physical Dimensions Sheet 57.5 x 65.4 cm (22 5/8 x 25 3/4 in.) Provenance Henry Lerolle [1848¨C1929], Paris, (Hector Brame, Paris), (C¨¦sar M. de Hauke, New York), (Jacques Seligmann, New York, sold to Leonard C. Hanna, Jr., Cleveland, OH), Leonard C. Hanna Jr. [1889¨C1957], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH Type Drawing Rights CC0 Medium pastel with charcoal underdrawing on tracing paper mounted on cardboard Inscriptions signed, lower right, in black pastel Degas Fun Fact When creating the series to which this pastel belongs, Edgar Degas was inspired by the 19th-century photographer Eadweard Muybridge, who attempted to record motion in static images. Department Drawings Culture France, 19th century Credit Line Bequest of Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Collection DR - French Accession Number 1958.27 Show more