Edgar Degas

Edgar Degas (1834–1917) was a French painter, sculptor, and printmaker celebrated for his innovative compositions and mastery of movement. Though often associated with the Impressionists, Degas preferred the term “Realist,” blending classical training with modern subjects. He is best known for his depictions of ballet dancers, as well as scenes of horse racing, portraits, and intimate moments of urban life, all rendered with dynamic brushwork, unusual perspectives, and a keen sense of human gesture. Born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas in Paris to a wealthy family, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and spent time in Italy copying Renaissance masters. Degas never married, devoting his life to art, and maintained a famously independent and sometimes reclusive personality. In his later years, failing eyesight led him to focus more on sculpture, but he continued creating until his death in 1917.