A Roman Beggar Woman

French artist Edgar Degas painted this early work in 1857 during his time in Italy, depicting an elderly woman in poverty. She sits on a threshold, gazing into the distance, surrounded by the meager belongings of her existence. The work shows Degas grappling with traditional subjects before developing his later style.

Degas spent nearly two years in Italy studying Renaissance masters. This portrait of poverty demonstrates his early commitment to honest observation, rendering age and hardship without idealization. With just four colors, he created a powerful image of human dignity. It hangs at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.