Painting of the Month

Degas, 'Beach Scene', probably 1868-77
Special Feature: Beneath the Waves

Degas shows a beach with a woman who is probably a nursemaid combing the hair of a young girl. The girl rests her head on a white towel. She has just changed out of her swimming costume and it lies on the right of the painting, together with a green parasol. In the background, a group of figures wrapped in towels are on the extreme left. Next to them, a woman out walking her dog meets a man in a brown suit, while on the right we can see figures swimming in the sea.

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