Les Jockeys - Premier Version. The Jockeys - First Version. by Edgar Degas, 1834-1917

Edgar Degas, 1834-1917
Scroll down for information.
Click here to return to the list.

Les Jockeys - Premier Version. The Jockeys - First Version.

& William Thornley 1857-c.1925
Lithograph in sanguine (red-brown) ink. 1888/89. Signed in pencil by Degas. Also signed in pencil by Thornley. From the special edition of 25 impressions (before lettering). There was also an edition 100 impressions with letters and Thornley's printed signature. Issued in the de-luxe examples of the album: Quinze Lithographies d'après Degas. Printed at the Atelier Becquet. Issued by Boussod Valadon.
Literature: See Reed and Shapiro - Degas the Painter as Printmaker no 25b. Adhémar -Cachin - Degas Prints page xv.

Extremely fine strong and tonal impression. On pale cream chine appliqué mounted on a green-tinted stiff backing sheet as issued. Generally excellent condition. Slight toning of
the backing sheet. Wide margins; sheet 15x 17 1/8ins. Image: 8 1/8 x 9 5/8ins (205 x 245mm)

This item is sold.
Click here to enquire about this item.

This lithograph is one a group of fifteen compositions in lithography on which Degas worked in collaboration with William Thornley in 1888. This impression is a rare example of one of the first 25 impressions (before lettering) which were signed by Degas himself in black chalk.

By this date the main focus of Degas?s attention on paper works had moved on from lithography. However he had seen the work that Thornley had done based on themes from Puvis de Chavannes and he greatly admired his creative approach. When Thornley was commissioned by Boussod Valadon to do a series of lithographs using themes from Degas?s work Degas readily agreed to co-operate. Not only did he select the images, supervise the drawings on the stone, but he also controlled the actual editioning, intervening to stop the press and alter the inking during the printing.

Thornley was commissioned by Boussod Valadon to make the series of lithographs in 1888. He and Degas worked very closely together during the middle period of the year at the studio of Bequet and the prints were first exhibited at Boussod Valadon?s Gallery late in the same year. They received enthusiastic critical acclaim. The leading critic Félix Fenéon (the cofounder of the Revue Indépendante) praised them particularly highly, emphasising the extent of Degas?s work on them.

?Les Jockeys? was one of the few non-dance themes selected by Degas. The image is taken from his earlier painting. This was the first version of the image in lithography. In c.1908 he used the theme again in a colour lithograph which was prepared at the studio of Clot.

The first impressions of ?Les Jockeys?, above, printed in sanguine ink on cream chine laid onto a greenish tinted backing board and hand-signed by Degas, are extremely rare.