A Cotton Office in New Orleans
Edgar Degas · 1873
Why it's great
Men in a busy office examine samples of cotton, read newspapers and talk business. Degas painted the office of his uncle during a trip to New Orleans. It's an unusual picture of work. It's also a reminder that cotton was a huge industry that depended on enslaved labor before the Civil War.
Where to see it
📍 Musée des Beaux-Arts de PauPau, France
Open in Maps ↗Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
Edgar Degas was born in Paris to a well-to-do family and lived there almost all his life. He's linked to the Impressionists, but preferred to work indoors, painting ballet dancers, racehorses, and women at their daily routines. He loved to catch unusual angles, as if a camera had snapped the scene. In old age his eyesight failed and he turned to sculpture.
