When Le champ de courses. Jockeys amateurs près d'une voiture appeared at the first Impressionist exhibition in Paris in 1874, it startled viewers with its radical vision of modern life. Unlike the grand historical canvases that dominated the Salon, Edgar Degas offered a slice of contemporary leisure: the world of horse racing, a fashionable pastime among the Parisian elite.

This work is one of several scenes of racecourses that Degas painted in the 1870s, but it stands out for its unusual composition—placing a carriage and spectators as prominently as the horses themselves—prompting critics to debate whether it was a genre scene or a sporting picture. The painting captures a moment of anticipation on the grass at Longchamp, as amateur jockeys, perched on slender horses, wait near an elegant carriage. The horses fidget, their nervous energy mirrored by the crisp, slanting light, while the figures in the carriage—perhaps owners or fashionable Parisians—lean forward, intent on the unfolding spectacle. The low horizon and wide sky give the scene a sense of openness, but Degas draws the eye to the interplay between man, animal, and machine: the carriage’s gleaming wheels echo the curves of the horses’ haunches.

Unlike Théodore Géricault’s dramatic racing scenes, Degas chooses a quiet pause before the action, focusing on the social ritual as much as the sport. The exact commission of this painting is not documented, but it reflects Degas’s fascination with modernity and movement during the early Impressionist period. After its exhibition in 1874, the work passed through several private collections, including those of prominent French collectors who championed the new art. Today, it is held at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, where it stands as a testament to Degas’s innovative approach to composition and his keen observation of contemporary life.

The painting marks a turning point in his career, as he moved away from historical subjects and embraced the fleeting moments of the modern city.