After having done portraits seen from above, I will do some from below - sitting very close to a woman and looking at her from below I shall see her head glossy and surrounded with crystals. Do simple things, such as drawing a profile which does not move, moving oneslf up or down, and the same for a whole body - a piece of furniture, a whole room. Do a series of arm movements in a dance or legs which do not move, turning oneself ... Finally study a figure or an object, it does not matter which, from every viewpoint. One could use a mirror for that without changing one's position. Only the glass would be lowered or made to lean forward. One would turn around. Ideas for studio. To put steps all round the room to get accustomed to drawing things from above ad from below. Only paint things seen in the glass to get used to a hatred of "trompe l'oeil" effects.
Extract from Degas' notebook
