Memory of Velázquez ("Erinnerung an Velázquez")

Memory of Velázquez (Erinnerung an Velázquez), painted in 1858 and now at the Neue Pinakothek in Munich, dates from the beginning of Degas's Italian sojourn when he was deeply absorbed in studying the Old Masters. The title acknowledges a direct homage to the Spanish master whom Degas — like Manet — revered above almost all other predecessors. Velázquez's bold handling, his psychological directness, his refusal of conventional painterly prettiness all appealed profoundly to the young Degas. This early work represents him testing his absorption of Spanish lessons against direct practice — a dialogue between admiration and apprenticeship that would continue to shape his work throughout his career.

The painting's Velázquezian inheritance is visible in its tonal austerity and the directness of the figure's presentation. The young Degas attempts to capture something of Velázquez's characteristic quality: paint used with confidence rather than timidity, forms stated rather than insinuated. The palette is dark and sober. The work shows a student of exceptional seriousness testing himself against a demanding standard, with results that already reveal the genuine painter behind the apprentice.