Degas: The Impressionist that Wasn’t

When is an Impressionist not an Impressionist? Answer: when that Impressionist is Edgar Degas.

The Little Fourteen Year-Old Dancer.

Sculpture.

Courtesy of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptek, Copenhagen.

Degas is considered to be one of the key participants in the Impressionist movement; however, he took objection to this and tried to distance himself as much as possible from being characterised in this manner. Whilst his contemporaries delighted in spontaneity, bright colours, and the effect of light, Degas maintained that his art was completely devoid of spontaneity.

The study of the old masters and an interest in realism and composition, this is what shaped the artist’s work and style. This evolution in personal style and approach to art is reflected in the change in genre from his early to latter works. Initially seeking out a technique to rival that of his revered El Greco (Scene of War in the Middle Ages) his stylistic leanings then noticeably altered to include an interest in portraying events, people, and places in a realist manner.

Character studies were a particular favourite of Degas, L’Absinthe, The Ballet Instructor, and At the Stock Exchange are all notable examples of this. Whilst expressing scorn for those of his contemporaries who chose to work outdoors, Degas chose to concentrate his efforts in the perfection of many mediums. Not only content to master oil work, the artist applied himself to the use of pastel, etching, photography, drawing, and sculpture. The Little Fourteen Year-Old Dancer was the sole sculpture which he exhibited during his lifetime, and could perhaps be said to be a culmination of his studies, drawings, paintings, and examination of individual character.

Degas always insisted that to be an artist one must live alone. True or not, this belief translated in his attitude regarding his inclusion by critics in the Impressionist group, and he tried as much as possible to distance his work from theirs. However, it is undeniable that Degas was a true master of his craft, within the Impressionist movement or without.


To learn more about the man and the artist, be sure to visit the Ny Carlsberg Glyptek, Copenhagen for the current exhibition Degas' Method. On display until the 1 September, this is one exhibition not to be missed. The perfect addition for all your Degas-inspired research is Nathalia Brodskaya’s Degas. Be sure to pick up a copy!

- Fiona Torsch

Art: I know It When I See It

Last year, Andres Serrano’s Piss Christ reignited the old “What is art?” discussion. Serrano shocked the art world in 1987 with a photograph of a crucifix submerged in a jar of his urine. He again sparked controversy in September 2012 when Piss Christ was featured at the Edward Tyler Nahem Gallery in New York. The photograph not only shocked the religious communities who were offended by the desecration of a holy symbol, Serrano’s work also forced even the most open-minded to ask, “Is this art?”

A quick Google search of the definition of art yields this: “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture.” I guess no one can argue that Serrano used his imagination to produce his work. But did he really apply creative skill? Admittedly, Piss Christ is creative, but skilled?

No. Absolutely not.

Maybe I am too quick to judge Serrano. And maybe he is ahead of his time, and we are (or at least I am) incapable of appreciating his talent. When Pablo Picasso first entered the art scene, many dismissed his work in the same fashion I dismiss Serrano.  Only after his death were people able to appreciate his creative genius.

Pablo Picasso, Seated Woman, 1941

Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Sammlung Moderne Kunst in der Pinakothek der Moderne München
© Sucession Picasso / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2013

 

Artists such as Degas and Monet, also, strayed away from the norm and subsequently endured a contemptuous reception.  In response, Degas, Monet, and other dismissed artists united to create a modern art. And today, we celebrate these artists for their innovativeness and herald their work as art.  

Edgar Degas, Woman ironing, c. 1869

Oil on canvas, 92.5 x 73.5 cm

© Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Neue Pinakothek München

History continually shows us that we reject the new because we don’t understand it.  With time, the public grew to understand and appreciate the beauty found in the works of Picasso, Monet, and Degas among many others.

I’m probably reacting to Serrano the same way people from the 19^th century reacted to Degas.  Half a century from now, Serrano’s Piss Christ might be considered the iconic work from our generation. But for the sake art and all that is beautiful, I pray that Piss Christ does not become the new standard of art. I can handle Picasso’s strange shapes and colors - I might not understand him, but I can admire him.  But Serrano? I highly doubt I’ll ever be able to look at that photograph of the little crucifix in a jar without grimacing. I don’t own the official rubber stamp for art, but I know art when I see it, and Piss Christ is not art. 

You can visit the NeuePinakothek’s ongoing exhibition entitled Changing Perspectives: Degas – Picasso | Gauguin– Nolde | Monet – Macke which will run until 31 August.  If you can’t make Munich, you can also explore works by modern artists such as: Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh.

Le meilleur d'Edgar Degas - maintenant en format e-book

La maison d’édition Parkstone International est enchantée par la perspective de l’exposition Degas et le nu – la première traitant exclusivement de cet artiste depuis plus de vingt ans. Nous nous réjouissons à l’avance à l’idée de pouvoir la visiter au musée d’Orsay.

Suivant cette même volonté de faire honneur à Edgar Degas, nous avons récemment publié un e-book réunissant les chefs-d’œuvre du peintre en matière de nus féminins. Cet ouvrage est disponible sur Amazon. Il constitue un guide complet et pratique, révélateur de la maîtrise du peintre en ce qui concerne la composition d’une toile.

Cet ouvrage abondamment illustré, présente les œuvres les plus emblématiques de Degas, représentatifs des thèmes picturaux qu’il a privilégiés durant sa carrière, telle que sa passion pour le monde du ballet. L’organisation chronologique du livre permet au lecteur d’envisager l’évolution du style de Degas et d’appréhender l’inspiration qu’il a puisée auprès des maîtres anciens. Il fut influencé par le travail de Raphaël, Léonard de Vinci, Michel-Ange ou encore Mantegna, influence davantage présente dans ses premiers travaux. En effet, il découvrit l’univers du ballet plus tard dans sa carrière, univers qui lui inspira des chefs-d’œuvre tel que Les danseuses bleues.

Appréciez un souvenir de l’exposition Degas du musée d’Orsay avec l’e-book sur Edgar Degas, disponible dès à présent sur Amazon. Par ailleurs, si vous êtes intéressé par la version imprimée de cet ouvrage, vous pouvez la commander sur Amazon.  Pour plus d'information sur l'exposition Degas et le Nu, qui a lieu à Paris, visitez le site du Musée d'Orsay.