Evidence-led learning

Degas Observe and Write: Color, Evidence, and Mood

Zoom in on a public-domain painting, collect visual evidence, and turn careful observations into a supported paragraph.

Reviewed source data · credits and licenses available
Edgar Degas painting of a seated woman beside a vase overflowing with flowers in a richly colored room.

Look slowly

Artist
Edgar Degas
Date
1865
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
29 x 36 1/2 in. (73.7 x 92.7 cm)

What do you notice first?

  1. Name three colors that guide your eye.
  2. Find one area of strong contrast.
  3. Make an inference about mood. Cite one visual detail.

Words for looking

compositionthe way parts of an artwork are arranged
contrasta strong difference between elements
evidencea detail that supports an idea
inferencean idea formed from evidence and reasoning

Edgar Degas · The Met Open Access · CC0 1.0 / Public Domain

Met Open Access credits

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