Lady with a Parasol

In this study of a fashionable woman holding a parasol, Edgar Degas's chief concern seems to be the effect of light on the human figure. Some areas are loosely painted, with the initial charcoal outline still visible. Others, such as the woman's profile and the details of her hat, are treated with great delicacy. An old label on the back of the painting describes it as ‘At the Race- course’, which may explain the woman's elegant appearance. Degas left this work unfinished but kept it in the studio until his death.