When I first saw this painting all I could think about was how it had an incomplete look to it. The woman lacks facial structure and her dress fades into the background and the furniture also looks like it has not been finished. The woman becomes a silhouette against  a brown and yellow-toned background. I was not star-struck when I first saw this painting. 

Edgar Degas had been considered one of the leaders in the impressionist movement, however he referred to himself as a realist. He leaned away from the impressionist movement in his colors. While others experimented with bright vivid colors, Degas used more somber tones and depicted Parisian life as he saw it being performed, adding his realist perspective. His style changed a bit with the introduction of photography, which influenced him to paint paintings from unusual angles and add more color. 

The painting here demonstrates one of the most complex subjects Degas painted, which is the topic of human isolation. The woman sits alone staring out a window. Although she has no facial expression the mood of the painting gives the feeling of isolation and loneliness. The colors also highlight this aspect. The darkness and use of browns, yellows, and oranges gives the viewer this feeling of loneliness and really plays on these emotions. The lack of facial expression allows the viewer to imagine what she would be feeling and the painting's mood influences what facial expression you would imagine on this woman at the window. This painting made me realize how beautiful it really is.