About
Edgar Degas, born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar de Gas in 1834 in Paris, was a major artist of the late 19th century. From a wealthy banking family, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and then traveled to Italy, where he copied Renaissance masters. A founding member of the Impressionist group, he participated in seven of their eight exhibitions, but preferred to call himself a realist or independent. He is famous for his depictions of ballet dancers, horse races, laundresses, and café-concert scenes. His only sculpture exhibited during his lifetime, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, made a strong impression. Suffering from eye problems from the 1880s, he turned to pastel and sculpture.
* 1834-07-19 — † 1917-09-27
Major works
- The Dance Class (1874)painting
- L'Orchestre de l'Opéra (1868-1869)painting
- Le Foyer de la danse à l'Opéra de la rue Le Peletierpainting
- Little Dancer Aged Fourteen (1881)sculpture
Key milestones
- 1855Enrolled at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
- 1874Participated in the first Impressionist exhibition.
- 1881Exhibited his sculpture Little Dancer Aged Fourteen at the Impressionist Salon.
Themes
Dance and dancersHorse racingModern life and Parisian scenesWork and trades (laundresses, milliNudes and bathers
Sources: nga.gov · metmuseum.org · musee-orsay.fr