The Poetry of the Process

"Miss La La at the Cirque Fernando"
Oil on canvas
Edgar Degas, 1879

I recently purchased an out-of-print book about Edgar Degas (copyright 1984). I love the book because it takes a long look at the process behind his work. It is filled with pages from his sketchbooks, and studies for his paintings. No "coffee table book" this! Forget the big glossy photos--this is more like a tour through the mind and method of one of the Greats.

Degas' Sketchbook

I especially love the book's presentation of the notes that Degas made to guide him in completion of his paintings. I often jot down notes on site to hep me remember the scene later. But Degas was a real master of this. Here is an example from one of his notebooks. The notes are for the painting above. They are presented as a poem in free verse, and I think they are nothing short of poetic.  Leave it to the Master to make poetry as a byproduct of sharpening his seeing skills!

garnet band

on the bow

string of gold

bright green band

frame

gleam on the column

somewhat low

Golden yellow

Ornaments

as yellow

Golden yellow

blue dark green band

ditto white

narrow part blue green like the farms

reddish yellow

as far as the windows

the white underneath

the porticos is

brighter because of the

little chandeliers 

cornice

light

rose window gold sparkling green

PS: For the curious, the name of the book is Degas: form and space, ed. Jacqueline and Maurice Guillaud.