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Historical Artist - Edgar Degas (1834 - 1917)
As a lifelong student of Italian Renaissance and sixteenth century painters, Edgar Degas
developed a passionate interest for accuracy in his forms. He met Manet in 1861, who introduced
him to the impressionism and allowed him to participate in most of their exhibitions. Despite
the tendency of the Impressionists to favor landscapes, Degas is most recognized by his painting
of female dancers. When his sight began to fail in 1875, Degas began to experiment with pastels,
capturing momentary images with a departure from classical poses. Degas is also known for his
sculptures, which he created out of wax and clay originally, but were cast in bronze after his
death. He is regarded as one of the founders of Impressionism although he rejected the term, and
preferred to be called a realist. superb draughtsman, he is especially identified with the
subject of the dance, and over half his works depict dancers. These display his mastery in the
depiction of movement, as do his racecourse subjects and female nudes. His portraits are
considered to be among the finest in the history of art. Early in his career, his ambition was
to be a history painter, a calling for which he was well prepared by his rigorous academic
training and close study of classic art. In his early thirties, he changed course, and by
bringing the traditional methods of a history painter to bear on contemporary subject matter, he
became a classical painter of modern life.
Contemporary French Artists
Art Galleries in France
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