Back in France in 1859, Degas exhibited
his works for the first five years at the official Salon
in Paris. Later he joined the
Impressionists and showed his art work in their
exhibitions from 1874 to 1886.
The favorite subjects of Degas were
scenes from the world of entertainment and later from
everyday's life. Ballet dancers, little ballerinas,
women in intimate situations and horse races are the
subjects that are immediately associated with him.
Degas in contrast to his impressionist
colleagues, preferred to work in a studio. He made
sketches of his subjects on the spot and created the
painting later in his studio.
Toulouse-Lautrec, who was a great admirer of Edgar
Degas, had the same work style.
Japanese prints were very popular at the end of the
nineteenth century and had a great influence on the
French impressionists. Edgar Degas was one of the
admirers of Japanese prints. And the influence can be
seen in some of his daring compositions using large
areas of flat colors.
Degas was an artist torn between
traditional art and the modern impressionist movement.
He admired the French artist Ingres and the great
Italian painters. His own compositions of images are
harmonious and follow the traditions of the old masters.
And what often looks like the spontaneous sketch of a
genial moment, was in reality the elaborate result of a
perfectionist.
From the impressionists he had learned
the use of creating effects with light, a daring use of
colors and new ways to show the human figure in motion.
And from the Japanese
masters he had learned the use of space.
Edgar Degas as a Printmaker and
Sculptor
Degas used a wide variety of mediums and
techniques. When he grew older, he turned to
sculptoring, pastels and printmaking.
In his thrive for perfection, he
repeated the same subjects again and again. When he
concentrated on printmaking in the nineties, his
preferred subjects were female nudes, either nude women
at their toilette or nude dancers. Edgar Degas had a
collection of decorative utensils like a bathtub, a sofa
and a curtained bed in a corner of his studio.
During the war with Germany in 1870-1871
Degas served in the French army. The medical cause is
not known, but since his time in the military service,
he had problems with his eyes. In his late years the
artist's eyesight deteriorated more and more. He was
unable to create oil paintings and focused his artistic
creativity on sculptures. Degas formed his sculptures
using wax or clay. Favorite subjects were ballerinas or
race horses.
When Degas had passed away, he left more
than 2000 oil paintings and pastels and 150 sculptures.
The sculpture models were all cast after his death.
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out how much an artwork of Edgar Degas is worth
