Impressionist: Edgar Degas

Born on July 19, 1834, Edgar Degas came to be one of the most well-known painters and sculptors of his time. Born Hilaire Germain Edgar Degas, he was the oldest of five children. Degas's father, encouraged his artistic ability and sent him to receive a classical education at the Lycee Louis-le-Grand from 1845 to 1852.

In 1852, what once was a family room, became a studios and under the tutelage of Felix Joseph Barrias, began to focus more on his artwork. In 1855, Degas began to study at the École des Beaux-Arts under Louis Lamothe. Although informative, he found the courses there far too restricting and preferred independent study in the classical tradition. 1859, he opened a studio in Paris and painted portraits and historial subjects. The reasoning for this being that these subjects were what were selling in the market. But, after seven years, in 1866, Degas abandoned the historical genre for many reasons. One was that after meeting Manet, he was introduced and became fond of Manet's style of painting depictions of modern life rather than traditional history or religion.

From the early 1870's until the 1880's, Degas lived in Paris and opened a studio where he concentrated on the themes of modern life, such as dancers, singers, and female nudes. In the 1880's, because his eyesight was beginning to fail, he shifted genres. Instead of painting, he turned his attention to sculpture and pastels, which consequently did not require the artist to have acute eyesight.


In 1908, Degas gave up on art completely and became somewhat of a recluse. He was evicted from his home and although a new studio was found for him to reside in, he never settled there. He instead wandered the streets.
Degas died in Paris on September 27, 1917, leaving behind an entire art studeo filled with art and sculptures that were cast in bronze. He is buried in the Cimetière de Montmartre in Paris, France. He left behind more than 2000 oil paintings and pastels and 150 sculptures.

Degas is especially known for his depiction of ballet dancers and other women. Although he is considered to mainly be a impressionist, some of the works that he has created have classical and realist styles within them.