Edgar Degas

Edgar Degas was born on the 19th of July, 1834, in Paris, France. His full name was Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas. A member of an upper-class family, Degas was originally intended to practice law, which he studied for a time after finishing secondary school. In 1855, however, he enrolled at the famous School of Fine Arts, in Paris, where he studied under Louis Lamothe, a pupil of the classical painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres.

In order to complement his art studies, Degas traveled extensively, including trips to Naples, Florence, and Rome (where he lived for three years), so that he could observe and copy the works of Renaissance masters like Sandro Botticelli, Andrea Mantegna, and Nicolas Poussin. From his early classical education, Degas learned a good deal about drawing figures, a skill he used to complete some impressive family portraits before 1860, notably The Belleli Family (1859).

In 1861, Degas returned to Paris, where he completed several "historical paintings," or works with historical or Biblical themes, which were then the most preferred paintings by serious art patrons and particularly the prestigious state-run art show, the Salon, held each year in Paris. He also began copying works by the Old Masters from the Louvre, which he would continue doing for many years. With his historical paintings (including 1861's Daughter of Jephthah, based on an incident from the Old Testament) and his finely-wrought portraits of friends, family members, and clients, the young Degas quickly established a great reputation among French art circles and never suffered from the financial problems that overwhelmed many of his colleagues.

Soon, however, Degas began to shift his focus from historical painting to portrayals of life in contemporary Paris. By 1862, he had begun painting various scenes from the racecourse, including studies of the horses, their mounts, and the chic spectators. Degas' style after the early 1860s was influenced by the up-and-coming Impressionist movement, including his friendship with Édouard Manet, as well as his introduction to Japanese graphic art, with its striking representation of figures. Along with his work painting scenes from the racetrack, Degas began concentrating on portraits of groups, most notably of female ballet dancers, who became Degas' most famous subjects.

Degas served in the artillery division of the French National Guard during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. Upon his return, he worked on even more ambitious studies of groups, often in motion, in both indoor and outdoor settings.