Portrait of a Young Woman, ca. 1885, Oil on canvas, 10 3/4 x 8 3/4 in. (27. 3 x 22. 2 cm), Paintings, Edgar Degas (French, Paris 1834?1917 Paris), This small portrait appears to be a rapidly executed study of mood and figure type. Degas, who was closely attuned to the nuances of gesture and expression, focused on capturing the woman?s contemplative gaze, treating her costume and the background in a more summary fashion