Brothel monotypes of Edgar Degas  

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The brothel monotypes of Edgar Degas are a series of monotypes by French artist Edgar Degas.

"In a series of monotypes usually dated to 1876–1877, Degas explicitly depicted prostitutes in a brothel as they interacted with or simply waited for clients, socialized, or washed themselves ... in 1958, as his own art collection was growing, [Picasso] acquired nine of the brothel monotypes. Thirteen years later, he used these works as the inspiration for his etchings depicting brothels, and included Degas himself in the scenes."[1]

"The Brothel Scenes cat. nos. 180-188 No other aspect of Degas's work has disconcerted his admirers as much as the fifty or so monotypes featuring brothel scenes. Arsène Alexandre wrote a short passage in 1918 on the “realistic nudes in a certain series that must be discussed, however delicate the subject matter may be.” Then, in the following decades, Camille Mauclair, and particularly Denis Rouart, ...."[2]

See also

• Dans le Salon d'une Maison Close[3]
• Prostitution in art, literature, music and film