How Did Edgar Degas Change the History of Art?

Art|Art History

Edgar Degas is considered one of the most influential and important artists of the 19th century. He was a painter, sculptor, and printmaker from France who developed an innovative and unique style that helped to redefine the way art was viewed and created.

Degas was born in 1834 in Paris and studied art at the École des Beaux-Arts. His early works were traditional in style, but he began to experiment with different techniques, including pastels, charcoal drawings, and monotypes. He was fascinated by movement and motion and sought to capture these elements in his works.

Degas’s most famous works feature scenes of everyday life in Paris. He often chose to focus on the hustle and bustle of the city’s streets or its cafes, capturing people in moments of repose or engaged in activities such as dancing or playing music. His use of color was especially vivid, using bright hues to draw attention to certain elements of his compositions.

Degas also had a penchant for capturing movement with his brushwork. His paintings often featured figures that seemed to be caught mid-motion as if they were frozen in time. This element helped him create a sense of energy and dynamism that had never been seen before in art.

Degas’s work played a key role in ushering a new era of art known as Impressionism. He became part of a group of artists who used their own styles to depict modern life instead of relying on traditional artistic conventions.

Conclusion:

Edgar Degas changed the history of art through his innovative use of color, brushwork, and subject matter. He helped introduce a new style known as Impressionism which focused on depicting everyday life instead of traditional artistic conventions. His work has inspired generations of artists since and continues to influence modern art today.