Impressionism and Modernity: Analyzing Degas' Stalls and Monet's Station

In Front of the Stalls (1868)

• Artist: Edgar Degas
• Date: 1868
• Location: Paris, France
• Patronage: No specific patron, likely sold to art dealers.

Analysis of the Artwork

Edgar Degas was a leading figure in the Impressionist movement. In Front of the Stalls is an oil painting on canvas.

Context and Subject Matter

At the time of its creation, horse racing had become a fashionable pastime among the upper class. This work reflects the modern life of bourgeois Paris, making the painting highly relevant to the elites.

The painting depicts racehorses and jockeys waiting in front of the starting stalls, just before a race begins. It captures a moment of tension, movement, and anticipation.

• It is not a dramatic scene or climax, but rather a glimpse of a scene and the backstage—a common trait of Impressionist art.
• It is not a composed moment; it appears random and "off the run," exemplified by the misbehaving horse.
• Rather than glorifying the race itself, Degas depicts the pre-race tension, focusing on the ritualistic and repetitive aspects of modern life.

Technique and Style

Degas uses naturalistic light and a muted palette, relying more on line and form than on bright Impressionist color. The background is hazy, placing focus on the figures.

Degas achieves perspective and depth by flattening the background, causing it to fade into a light, indistinct space. This contrasts sharply with the more defined horses in the foreground, demonstrating depth without relying on traditional linear methods.

Degas's Unique Position

Though often grouped with Impressionists, Degas disliked plein-air painting (painting outdoors). His structured compositions and interest in line, draftsmanship, and psychological narrative set him apart, aligning his approach more closely with Realism and Neoclassicism.

The cropped composition is similar to a camera lens’s ability to catch an off-centered image, demonstrating Degas's engagement with early photography.

Gare Saint-Lazare (1877)

• Artist: Claude Monet
• Date: 1877
• Patron: Himself (intended for exhibition and sale)
• Location: Paris, France

Depicting Modern Paris

The painting depicts the busy Gare Saint-Lazare, one of Paris’s major train stations. Monet captures a moment when a steam train arrives and departs the station.

Style and Atmosphere

The color palette consists of muted blues and grays, creating a misty atmosphere. Darker hues suggest shadows and soot. The train tracks and buildings blend into the background, utilizing linear perspective.

The work does not rely on a clear narrative; it focuses on motion and mood rather than storytelling. Created in 1877, it powerfully illustrates the rapid industrialization of Paris.

Monet’s technique includes:

• Loose Brushstrokes: These mimic the steam and make the painting look highly textured.
• Modern Subject Matter: While academic painters focused on historical or mythological scenes, Monet painted industrialization, pushing the boundaries of what art could be.

Series and Legacy

Gare Saint-Lazare is part of a series of 12 paintings of the station. This series was a precursor to his later works where he extensively explored light and atmosphere.

It stands as a key example of the Modernist vision. While some critics praised the technique, others mocked its perceived lack of finish.

The blurred motion reflects the influence of photography and its ability to freeze dynamic scenes.