Edgar Degas
Who was Edgar Degas?
French Impressionist artist (1834–1917)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Edgar Degas (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Edgar Degas, originally named Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas, was born on July 19, 1834, in Paris to a wealthy banking family. His father, Auguste De Gas, was a banker, and his mother, Célestine Musson De Gas, was from a Creole family in New Orleans. Degas had a classical education at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand before training in art at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. During his early years, he learned from Louis Lamothe, a student of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, which gave him a strong foundation in precise drawing and classical techniques.
He initially wanted to be a history painter and spent a lot of time copying Old Master paintings in the Louvre. In the 1850s, he traveled to Italy to study Renaissance art. However, in his early thirties, he started focusing on modern subjects, using his academic training to depict Parisian life. This shift marked the start of his most famous period, when he became linked to the Impressionist movement, though he preferred to be called a realist.
Degas is best known for his paintings of ballet dancers, which make up more than half of his work. Pieces like 'The Ballet Class' show the inner world of the Paris Opera, featuring dancers in rehearsal or at rest rather than performing. His intimate scenes of women bathing, such as 'After a Bath. Woman Drying the Back of her Neck,' highlight his skill in capturing natural, unguarded moments. Unlike many Impressionists, Degas rarely painted outdoors, choosing instead to work from memory and sketches in his studio.
In addition to painting, Degas was skilled in sculpture, photography, and printmaking. He worked with various media, creating bronze sculptures of dancers and horses, and trying new techniques in pastels and monotypes. His portraits, like 'Count Lepic and His Daughters,' show his ability to see psychological depth and the complexity of human relationships. As his eyesight worsened later in life, he focused more on sculpture and pastel. Degas passed away on September 27, 1917, in Paris, leaving a legacy that significantly changed how modern life is portrayed in art.
Before Fame
Growing up in a wealthy Parisian family, Degas was surrounded by art and culture from a young age. His family's money allowed him to pursue artistic training without worrying about finances, giving him the chance to spend years studying classical techniques and travel to Italy to learn from Renaissance masters. At the École des Beaux-Arts, he received traditional training focused on precise drawing and historical subjects.
In mid-19th century Paris, the art scene was controlled by the conservative Salon system, which favored historical and mythological subjects painted in a polished academic style. However, rapid industrialization and urban changes were bringing about new social dynamics and leisure activities that interested younger artists. Degas's choice to switch from history painting to contemporary subjects showed this shift, as artists started to see value in capturing everyday life in modern Paris rather than idealized classical themes.
Key Achievements
- Participated in seven of the eight Impressionist exhibitions between 1874 and 1886
- Created over 1,500 paintings, pastels, prints, and drawings during his career
- Revolutionized the artistic depiction of ballet and dance through unprecedented access to the Paris Opera
- Mastered multiple artistic media including painting, sculpture, photography, and printmaking
- Influenced generations of artists through his innovative compositions and psychological portraiture
Did You Know?
- 01.Degas was an avid photographer and used his camera to study movement and composition, often incorporating photographic perspectives into his paintings
- 02.He never married and was known for his difficult personality and sharp tongue, which earned him a reputation as a misanthrope among his contemporaries
- 03.Many of his bronze sculptures were discovered in his studio after his death and were cast posthumously, as he had primarily worked in wax during his lifetime
- 04.Degas came from a banking family and had American relatives in New Orleans, where he visited in 1872-1873 and painted several works
- 05.Despite his association with Impressionism, he detested painting outdoors and once said that artists who painted en plein air should be shot with bird shot