Edgar Degas (French, 1834-1917) Étude de cheval, circa 1860 Pencil on tracing paper 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 inches (14.0 x 21.6 cm) (sheet) Stamped lower left: Atelier Ed. Degas PROVENANCE: The artist; Thence by descent to his family; Christie's, New York, October 2, 1990, lot 2; Private collection, Pomfret, Maryland; Heritage Auctions, Dallas, December 6, 2019, lot 68041; Private collection, acquired from the above; Heritage Auctions, Dallas, June 9, 2023, lot 69081; Acquired from the above by the present owner. We wish to thank Professor Theodore Reff for his gracious cataloguing assistance. In a photocopy of his letter dated October 20, 2019, which accompanies this lot, Dr. Reff states: "In my opinion, this drawing is by the hand of Degas and can be dated to about 1860. The 'Atelier' stamp (Lugt 657), still barely recognizable, shows that the provenance begins with the artist's studio. Like many other works with that origin, the drawing did not figure in the four sales of Degas's studio in 1918-19, but remained in the possession of his descendants. Executed on tracing paper, this drawing was probably made by tracing the composition of a print in order to establish its outlines and then by copying the shading and shadows of the original. The latter, in turn, was probably a lithograph by Alfred De Dreux (1810-1860), a specialist in equestrian subjects, whose work Degas seems particularly to have admired. At his death, Degas's collection contained eighteen lithographs by De Dreux, and in a notebook Degas used in 1858-1860 there are over a dozen small copies after mounted riders or details of their mounts, based on prints in two De Dreux albums. Moreover, a drawing of a mounted rider, in pencil on tracing paper about the same size as the present drawing (sale, Christie's, Paris, "Atelier Degas," May 24, 2006, lot 5), is likewise a reworked tracing of a De Dreux lithograph and is stylistically quite similar to the present one." HID12401132022 © 2026 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice

Christie's, New York, October 2, 1990, lot 2; Private collection, Pomfret, Maryland; Heritage Auctions, Dallas, December 6, 2019, lot 68041; Private collection, acquired from the above; Heritage Auctions, Dallas, June 9, 2023, lot 69081; Acquired from the above by the present owner.

Minor toning to sheet. Moderate creases and handling dents, primarily evident along edge of mat. All four corners of sheet have been restored; largest area of corner restoration is approximately 1 3/4" by 1/4" located in the upper right corner; restoration of remaining three corners range in size from approximately 1/4"-1/2". Additional sheet restoration evident along edges: 1/8" by 5/8" area evident along lower center edge; 1/4" by 1/8" area along middle left edge; 3/4 by 1 3/4" area along upper center edge. There appear to be some stray artist's marks throughout sheet, particularly around the horse.
Framed Dimensions 15.25 X 18.375 Inches