Cotton Merchants in New Orleans

"Cotton Merchants in New Orleans," painted by Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas in 1873, depicts the bustling activity of the cotton trade in New Orleans, reflecting the artist's interest in the economic and social dynamics of the American South. This work is significant as it illustrates Degas's engagement with American themes during his travels and highlights the intersection of art and commerce in the post-Civil War era.

"Cotton Merchants in New Orleans," painted by Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas in 1873, depicts a group of men engaged in a business transaction within a dimly lit interior, characterized by a rich palette of browns and greens that evoke the atmosphere of the cotton trade. The composition is marked by Degas's signature use of dynamic angles and cropped forms, emphasizing the figures' interactions and the spatial depth of the setting.