A Cotton Office in New Orleans by Edgar Degas

An artwork by Edgar Degas titled A Cotton Office in New Orleans was created in 1873. Degas represents his uncle Michael Musson's cotton brokerage firm, which went bankrupt after being swamped by the considerably larger Cotton Exchange's post-war development. Musson is shown inspecting raw cotton for quality in the artwork, while Degas' brother René reads the Daily Picayune. While numerous others go about their business, another brother, Achille, relaxes against a window wall on the left.

The first painting by Degas to be purchased by a museum, and the first by an Impressionist, was A Cotton Office in New Orleans. The piece's sale represented a turning moment in Degas' career, as he transitioned from a struggling, unrecognized artist to a well-known and financially secure artist. In the autumn of 1872, Degas traveled from Europe to New Orleans with his brother René to see his mother's brother, Michael Musson. René had joined his uncle's cotton company in New Orleans after the American Civil War.

Degas was supposed to travel to Europe in January 1873, but when his flight was delayed, he was asked to paint portraits of his relatives, and he decided to represent them all at work in the family office. Degas created his piece with the intention of selling it to a textile producer in the United Kingdom. However, a collapse in stock prices around the world, as well as losses in the cotton and art markets, put an end to his ambitions for that particular sale. At 1876, Degas displayed this painting in the second Impressionist exhibition in Paris, and in 1878, he sold it to the newly founded Musée des Beaux-Arts.

The perfect accent for any space! Each wood print is unique due to the natural qualities of each individual panel of wood.

• Wood canvas made from Birchwood sourced from sustainable Canadian forests
• UV set inks, meaning the print resists water
• Each wood print is made in Montreal, Canada
• Easy care, don’t touch the print if you don’t have to, but you can wipe it with a dry or damp cloth to remove dust
• Arrives ready to hang! 4-panel frame in back allows you to just pop the wood print on a small nail in the wall, no wires necessary