The master of bodies in motion

Most commonly associated with the birth of the Impressionist movement in mid-19th-century Paris,Edgar Degas(18341917) in fact defied easy categorization and instead developed a unique style, strongly influenced byOld Masters, the body in motion, and everyday urban life.

The elder scion of a wealthy family, Degas cofounded a series of exhibitions of Impressionist art, but soon disassociated himself from the group in pursuit of a more realist approach. His subjects centered on theteeming, noisy streets of Paris, as well as its leisure entertainments, such as horse racing, cabarets, and, most particularly, ballet. With often ambitious, off-kilter vantage points, hisimages of ballerinas numbered approximately 1,500 works, all deeply invested in the physicality and the discipline of dance.

Through illustrations ofFoyer de la Danse (1872),Musicians in the Orchestra(1872), and many more, this book provides an essential overview of the artist who created a category all his own,a world of classical resonance, bold compositions, and an endless fascination with movement, which together produced some of the most striking and influential works of the era.