Edgar Degas
French Impressionist artist famous for his pastel drawings and oil paintings. Edgar Degas (19 July 1834 – 27 September 1917) Self-portrait (Degas Saluant), 1863 Degas also produced bronze sculptures, prints, and drawings. Degas is especially identified with the subject of dance; more than half of his works depict dancers. Although Degas is regarded as one of the founders of Impressionism , he rejected the term, preferring to be called a realist, and did not paint outdoors as many Impressionists did. Degas was a superb draftsman, and particularly masterly in depicting movement, as can be seen in his rendition of dancers and bathing female nudes. In addition to ballet dancers and bathing women, Degas painted racehorses and racing jockeys, as well as portraits. His portraits are notable for their psychological complexity and their portrayal of human isolation. The Dance Class (La Classe de Danse) , 1873–1876, oil on canvas At the beginning of his career, Degas wanted to be a history ...