The somber presence of Degas aunt Laura, dressed in a black gown, immediately draws the eye, a clear sign of mourning for her recently deceased father, whose portrait looms quietly on the wall behind her. It's striking to consider how Degas approached this intimate family portrayal, as it believed he drew each of the figures individually before combining them, creating a unique depiction of their family dynamic. Known both as The Bellelli Family and Family Portrait, this oil painting on canvas by Edgar Degas was surprisingly overlooked when likely exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1867, reportedly due to poor hanging, leading to it being largely ignored by critics. Degas kept it within his personal collection until 1913, underscoring its private significance before its eventual sale for 400,000 to the Luxembourg Museum in 1918, after his death. Now housed in the Musée d'Orsay, it makes one wonder about the journey of personal meaning to public acclaim, and the quiet grief within this family scene.