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Artists in 60 Seconds: Edgar Degas (Hilaire-Germain-Edgar de Gas)

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© The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas (French, 1834-1917). The Dancing Class, probably 1871. Oil on wood. 7 3/4 x 10 5/8 in. (19.7 x 27 cm). H. O. Havermeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H.O. Havermeyer, 1929.

© The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Movement, Style, School or Type of Art:

Realism > Impressionism

Date and Place of Birth:

July 19, 1834, Paris, France

Life:

Degas carefully studied arrested movement, making countless studies and paintings of the human form in motion. He is also known for his clever use of empty space in composition. We know him best for his images of dancers.

Important Works:

  • The Dance Class, 1874
  • Glass of Absinthe, 1876
  • Little Ballet Dancer, 1880-81
  • The Morning Bath, 1890

Date and Place of Death:

September 27, 1917, Paris, France

Go to Artist Profiles: Names beginning with "D" or Artist Profiles: Main Index

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