FINAL VERSION

The transcription discusses a lithograph by Degas called "Mademoiselle Degas at the Café des Ambassadeurs Paris." It explores the mystery surrounding the figure depicted and her relationship with Degas. The lithograph portrays the performer at the height of her fame during the Belle Epoque period in Paris. The use of light in the artwork highlights the performer's presence and creates a glamorous effect. Degas's portrayal of Mademoiselle Degas suggests a power dynamic between the artist and his muse. The focus is on the performer, while other details are kept hidden. The artist's use of light aligns with his contemporaries in capturing the changing social and cultural scene in Paris. The lithograph showcases Degas's admiration for the singer and his control over how she is depicted. The piece raises questions about the artist's intentions and the power dynamics between male artists and their female muses. A small lithograph sits in a secluded corner of the most temporary Degas Manet exhibit, the lithograph of Mademoiselle Degas at the Café des Ambassadeurs Paris. It is mounted at eye level on a pale purple wall in a dark room, illuminated by a small spotlight above it. Visitors are drawn to the stunning display of the seemingly simple sketch. At first glance, bright orbs of light stand out against the inky black background, and a stunningly detailed chandelier seems to shine over a performer. No details stand out about the figure besides displayed arms, fingers, and her bowed head. We only know her name, Mademoiselle Degas, from the title, a figure that Degas, throughout his career, would draw over and over again. So who was this mysterious youth? What hold did she have on Degas, and what does this depiction of her reveal to us? Aside from Degas' depictions of her, very little is known about her as a woman. Born in Marseille, Degas made her debut at the Café des Ambassadeurs in 1875, and experienced her greatest fame between 1875 and 1885. Café concerts, such as the one depicted here, were at the height of their popularity in Paris at this time, as there was a greater importance placed on having a lively social life outside the home, as Paris became more urban and global in the Belle Epoque period, known as the Beautiful Era in English. Some notable markers of this era include the construction of the Eiffel Tower, the Paris Metro, the Paris Opera, and five road fairs that brought millions of tourists to Paris throughout this period. There were nearly 150 cafés in the city, hosting regular concerts, the sample that is heard throughout this podcast. Executed during this period, the lithograph portrays the performer at the height of her Parisian success. In her time, Degas was renowned for her wildly gestural performances, and is widely recognized for his signature played arms and fingers as seen in this piece. So who was she to Degas? It should be noted that most of Degas' muses were prostitutes, and remained anonymous. However, Mademoiselle Degas was in the title of this work, and was the subject of multiple works by Degas. In fact, she can be seen starring in three additional lithographs, a number of prints reworked with her style, as well as a couple of paintings, including the singer, which is displayed alongside this lithograph in the Met. By the time he produced this lithograph, Degas had begun to distill his views of the café concert into a compact study of the singer, suggesting her powerful presence among the spectators. Degas has become a cypher for the spirit of the café concerts that so enchanted the artist. The way he paints her in this lithograph reveals an interesting power dynamic between the famed artist and his mysterious muse. As I mentioned earlier, this piece's focal point seems to be the light. The seemingly bright light seems to jump out at the viewer as the brightest, becoming the primary subject matter of the work. From the chandeliers and gas lamps of the café concert, to the moon seen outside, different lighting effects dominate specific areas of the composition and visually upstage the performer. Dense background shadows offset the intensity of each light source, making the latter seem more brilliant as if it's sparkling. Looking specifically at the chandelier at first glance, it seems that Degas has used a mess of arbitrary lines to create the chandelier, but upon closer inspection, the viewer is able to see there seems to be an elongated, diamond-shaped pattern, wood shading that creates a sparkling effect that resembles how light reflects in the distance in real life. The time he dedicated to creating these sources of light offsets the lack of detail he put into Mademoiselle Degas. He places her directly under the chandelier, one of the most detailed pieces in this work. As if putting the spotlight on her, cementing her role as the performer, she commands the audience that it's her moment, and he gives her his attention indirectly by placing her under the chandelier. We, the viewers, are only able to observe her as the performer. No other distinguishing features are shown. While Degas is forced to give Degas her moment in the spotlight, he keeps everything else hidden. While she is the center of attention and has power over Degas's muse, he retains his powers to depict her as he chooses, how she is portrayed and remembered. Additionally, it is intriguing how typical sources of illumination, such as lamps and moonlight, are used for the purpose of canceling the standard role that light plays in the organization of visual representation. This creates an asymmetry in the piece where everything behind Mademoiselle Degas is lit to sing the viewer and audience in light. The background to her side is almost pitch black as the audience passes the audience despite the presence of a lamp. This particular arrangement again shifts the focus back on her as the center of attention. The special excitement of Paris at night is expressed by the singer's broad gestures and by the chandelier shining into the darkness. All of the energy in this piece is concentrated on one side, exaggerating the importance of these café concerts and the lively social life outside the home that had become increasingly important in Paris in this time. Degas's use of light to glamorize the scene via sources of light was shared among his contemporaries who aimed to capture the changing social and cultural scene in Paris through the use of light in their works. Degas uses this light to glamorize her, creating an idealizing effect showcasing his admiration for the singer. Shifting the focus back to Big Ca and how she was drawn, Degas portrays her bowing at the end of her performance. She has her hands raised in her signature pose and a small smile graces her face. There is dark shading and shadows all over the rest of her skin, save for her face, which seems to be glowing. This deliberate work provides insight into how Degas saw her and what parts of her he wanted to show his audience. While the spotlight seems to elevate her and bring out her personality as a performer, we still don't learn anything about her as a woman. There are two possible interpretations. First, it may be a display of respect and admiration, where he wanted her to retain her privacy and keep her as his secret. He wanted to paint her in the most flattering light with the mask she has while performing, without letting any wonderability show. Another reading of the scene is that this is a display of power over her. Historically, male artists have decided how they wanted to portray their female muses. That created a hierarchy between the viewer and the subject. At this time, there was a significant pushback against the suffragist movements that had started to take form all over Europe and the Americas. Female artists responded to this shift in their art by reinforcing gender power dynamics in their art and in their depiction of their muses. Degas may have painted Béka as a performer to confine her in her role as a singer and an entertainer, rather than depicting her as a woman, as her own person. In Degas' world, she only exists to provide entertainment. Even the pastel-colored lithographs of the scene retain the tension between who has power in the scene. In the pastel painting, Degas adds more detail to audience members who can be seen gossiping as they watch over her performance. They are at the forefront of the piece, shifting Béka further in the back, however it should be noted that she is the brightest object in the painting, and everything else seems duller. Again, this displays a tension in shifting power dynamics between Degas and Béka, her the star of the show, and him the artist who chooses how she will be remembered.