Portrait of Hilaire Germain Edgar Degas (1834-1917)

Desboutin was one of Degas's close friends, whom he painted in his famous genre tableau of an apparent toper and prostitute at a Parisian cafe. In fact, Desboutin and the woman in the painting, another friend of Degas, were simply models for the artist, not disreputable habitués. Just as Degas often painted and drew, and occasionally etched, portraits of his friends, so also did Desboutin, making two drypoints of Degas. (The other is a full-length sketch.) He also rendered their mutual friend Nina de Callas in drypoint.