Portrait of Elena Carafa
- Artist: Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas
- Date: about 1875
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the Portrait of Elena Carafa by Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas. Painted in about 1875, this oil on canvas work showcases Degas's ability to capture the subtleties of human expression.
Elena Carafa was Degas's first cousin, and she appears to be around 20 years old here. The portrait is believed to have been painted either during one of Degas's visits to Naples or when Elena was in Paris. The dress Elena wears is black, which may suggest that she's in mourning for a family member - possibly an uncle who passed away in 1875.
Notice how Elena leans back into her armchair, with her torso falling diagonally across the picture and her head slightly off-centre. Her hands rest on a book or magazine, and she looks up at us as if having been interrupted while reading. The painting's warm colours, particularly the deep pinks of the upholstery and the vermilion reds behind her dark hair, create an inviting atmosphere.
Degas originally planned for Elena to face towards the right with a more pensive expression, but he ultimately turned her face towards the centre so that she looks directly at us. The changes were relatively simple to make, and you can still see some of the original lines underneath the shawl.
See it in person
Portrait of Elena Carafa hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
