1860s -1900 · Longchamp, jockeys and modern movement

Degas observes the races before the start, in the stands and on the track, favoring waiting, unexpected framing and the precise mechanics of the horse.

Edgar Degas became interested in horse racing in the 1860s, in Paris where Longchamp became a major place in modern life. Unlike Géricault, he often represents peripheral moments: jockeys gathering, nervous horses before departure, cars and spectators cut off by the framing. His drawn and sculpted studies deepen the anatomy and phases of movement. Photography and Japanese prints nourish off-center compositions where the track extends outside the painting. The racetrack thus becomes a social space as much as a visual laboratory. The "Degas Horse Racing" selection thus becomes a social space as much as a visual laboratory. The "Degas Horse Racing" selection thus becomes a social space as much as a visual laboratory. The "Degas Horse Racing" selection notably compares Horses of race at Longchamp and Le Champ de courses. Amateur jockeys near a car. His reading favors composition.

Degas chooses the moment when nothing is decided yet: horses, jockeys and spectators create a modern tension before the race.