Edgar Hilaire-Germain Degas - Modern Artist, par excellence

Degas is best known for his depictions of the balletThe Cotton Exchange at New Orleans, later
and the racecourse, which he produced in a variety ofpurchased by a museum during his lifetime.
media. Although Degas participated in most of theIn 1874 Degas joined the group of artists that came to
Impressionist exhibitions, his fascination with renderingbe known as the Impressionists. The group, which
the human body in motion and his preference forincluded Monet, Cezanne, Pissarro, Sisley and Morisot,
working in his studio, sets his work apart from theorganized alternative exhibitions that were open to all
other Impressionist painters.and did not have a jury to assess the works. Although
Edgar Degas was born in Paris, France. His fatherDegas participated in all but one of them, he objected
was a wealthy banker and his mother was anto being classified as an Impressionist.
American from New Orleans. His family supported hisBy the 1880s, Degas was working mainly in pastels, a
ambition to be a painter and after leaving school hemedium which allowed him to express his mastery of
enrolled in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, studyingdrawing in vibrant colors and simple compositions.
under Louis Lamothe, a disciple of the FrenchThese expressive works are considered to be the
neoclassical painter Ingres. In 1855 Degas met Ingres,artist’s finest.
who instilled in the young artist the importance ofDegas firmly believed that a painter should dedicate
drawing, and it was during this period that Degashimself totally to his art, and therefore could have no
developed the clear, strong outlines that would later bepersonal life. For that reason, he never married and, as
the prominent feature of his works.the years ticked by, he became isolated. His eyesight
In 1856 Degas went to Italy, where he stayed until 1859,began to fail and he turned to sculpture. His subjects
copying works by Renaissance masters. When hecontinued to be ballet dancers and he tried to freeze
returned to Paris, he copied paintings in the Louvre andtheir movements in his works. The sculptures were
it is while he was copying a Velasquez painting that heabandoned in his studio, to be cast in bronze only after
med Edouard Manet, who would influence the younghis death.
Degas to paint contemporary subjects.In 1912 Edgar Degas was forced to leave his
Degas exhibited a number of historical paintings in theresidence due to a demolition order on the building. He
annual Paris Salon until the late 1860s when, under thestopped working due to poor eyesight and during the
influence of other avant-garde artists of the day, hislast years of his life he wandered the streets of Paris,
art shifted from the classical, romantic style toa lonely, friendless old man who was almost blind.
depictions of modern, everyday life -- theatrical scenesDegas died in Paris on September 27, 1917. His funeral
captured in spontaneous motion. He rendered hiswent almost unobserved and unattended. During his
subjects in bold brushstrokes and expressive colorslifetime his work had been both admired and ridiculed. It
influenced by Japanese prints. His new subject matterwas only after his death that the true stature of
included ballet dancers, launderesses and racecourseDegas’ work was recognized.
scenes, with the emphasis placed on movement andYou can find a wide collection of Edgar Degas paint
purity of line, capturing a fleeting moment ofby number patterns at the Segmation web site. 
spontaneous motion. In this sense, he was a precursorThese patterns may be viewed, painted, and printed
of the snapshot in modern photography.using SegPlay™PC a fun, computerized
During the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 Degas tookpaint-by-numbers program for Windows 2000, XP, and
part in the defense of Paris and in 1872 he went toVista.
stay with his brother in New Orleans. There he painted