Edgar Degas, a name synonymous with the Impressionist movement, was not just a painter; he was a visionary. Born in Paris in 1834, he became renowned for his unique ability to blend traditional artistic techniques with the fleeting moments of modern life. His passion for capturing the grace of dancers and the vibrancy of ballet set him apart from his contemporaries, influencing generations of artists, including the likes of Pablo Picasso. But who was the man behind the paintbrush, and what made his work so captivating?
Degas was born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar de Gas to a family that had aspirations beyond their middle-class roots. His mother, an American opera singer, and his father, a banker, instilled in him a love for music and art. He grew up in a household filled with creativity, which laid the foundation for his future as an artist. As we delve deeper into his life, we will uncover the influences and experiences that shaped his artistic journey.
Throughout his career, Degas's artistry evolved, reflecting the changes in society and his personal life. His works often depicted the themes of movement and the human form, showcasing both the elegance and the rawness of life. As we explore the key phases of his career and the significant events that impacted his art, we will gain insights into the complexities of Degas's character and his lasting legacy in the world of art.
Biography and Personal Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Edgar Degas |
| Birth Year | 1834 |
| Birth Date | July 19, 1834 |
| Birth City | Paris |
| Birth Country | France |
| Gender | Male |
| Death Year | 1917 |
| Death Date | September 27, 1917 |
| Death City | Paris |
| Death Country | France |
Table of Contents
Who Was Edgar Degas?
Edgar Degas studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and became renowned as a stellar portraitist, fusing Impressionistic sensibilities with traditional approaches. Both a painter and sculptor, Degas enjoyed capturing female dancers and played with unusual angles and ideas around centering. His work influenced several major modern artists, including Pablo Picasso.
Early Life
Degas was born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar de Gas on July 19, 1834, in Paris, France. (As an adult, Degas reverted his last name back to the original spelling.) His father, Auguste, was a banker, and his mother, Celestine, was an American from New Orleans. Their family were members of the middle class with nobler pretensions. For many years, the Degas family spelled their name "de Gas"; the preposition "de" suggesting a land-owning aristocratic background which they did not actually have.
Degas came from a very musical household – his mother was an amateur opera singer and his father occasionally arranged for musicians to give recitals in their home. Degas attended the Lycée Louis-le-Grand, a prestigious and rigorous boys' secondary school, where he received a classical education.
Degas also displayed a remarkable skill for drawing and painting as a child, a talent encouraged by his father, who was a knowledgeable art lover. In 1853, at the age of 18, he received permission to "copy" at the Louvre in Paris. (During the 19th century, aspiring artists developed their technique by attempting to replicate the works of the masters.) He produced several impressive copies of Raphael as well, studying the work of more contemporary painters such as Ingres and Delacroix.
Early Works
Upon returning to Paris in 1859, Degas set out to make a name for himself as a painter. Taking a traditional approach, he painted large portraits of family members and grand historical scenes such as "The Daughter of Jephtha," "Semiramis Building Babylon" and "Scene of War in the Middle Ages." Degas submitted these works to the all-powerful Salon, a group of French artists and teachers who presided over public exhibitions. It had very rigid and conventional ideas of beauty and proper artistic form and received Degas's paintings with measured indifference.
In 1862, Degas met fellow painter Edouard Manet at the Louvre, and the pair quickly developed a friendly rivalry. Degas grew to share Manet's disdain for the presiding art establishment as well as his belief that artists needed to turn to more modern techniques and subject matter.
By 1868, Degas had become a prominent member of a group of avant-garde artists including Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet and Alfred Sisley, who gathered frequently at the Café Guerbois to discuss ways in which artists could engage the modern world. Their meetings coincided with tumultuous times in the history of France. In July 1870, the Franco-Prussian War broke out and the highly nationalistic Degas volunteered for the French National Guard.
Emergence of Impressionists
Returning to Paris near the end of 1873, Degas, along with Monet, Sisley and several other painters, formed the Société Anonyme des Artistes (Society of Independent Artists), a group committed to putting on exhibitions free of the Salon's control. The group of painters would come to be known as the Impressionists (though Degas preferred the term "realist" to describe his own work), and on April 15, 1874, they held the first Impressionist exhibition. The paintings Degas exhibited were modern portraits of modern women — milliners, laundresses and ballet dancers — painted from radical perspectives.
Over the course of the next 12 years, the group staged eight such Impressionist exhibitions, and Degas exhibited at all of them. His most famous paintings during these years were "The Dancing Class" (1871), "The Dance Class" (1874), "Woman Ironing" (1873) and "Dancers Practicing at the Bar" (1877). In 1880, he also sculpted "The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer," a sculpture so hauntingly evocative that while some critics called it brilliant, others condemned him as cruel for having made it.
While Degas's paintings are not overtly political, they do reflect France's changing social and economic environment. His paintings portray the growth of the bourgeoisie, the emergence of a service economy and the widespread entrance of women into the workplace.
Later Years, Death and Legacy
Degas lived well into the 20th century, and though he painted less during these years, he promoted his work tirelessly and became an avid art collector. He never married, though he did count several women, including American painter Mary Cassatt, among his intimate friends. Degas died in Paris on September 27, 1917, at the age of 83.
While Degas has always been recognized as one of the greatest Impressionist painters, his legacy has been mixed in the decades since his death. The misogynist overtones present in his sexualized portraits of women, as well as his intense anti-Semitism, have served to alienate Degas from some modern critics. Still, the sheer beauty of his early works and the distinctly modern self-conscious elusiveness of his later portraits ensure Degas a lasting legacy.
One thing remains indisputable about Degas: His were among the most painstakingly polished and refined paintings in history. An obsessive and careful planner, Degas liked to joke that he was the least spontaneous artist alive. "If painting weren't difficult," he once remarked, "it wouldn't be so fun."
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