Edgar Degas

Edgar Degas was a French Impressionist artist famous for his pastel drawings and oil paintings.

Degas is especially identified with the subject of dance, but also produced bronze sculptures, prints, and drawings. 

Although Degas is regarded as one of the founders of Impressionism, he rejected the term, preferring to be called a realist, and did not paint outdoors as many Impressionists did.

Degas was a superb draftsman, and particularly masterly in depicting movement. His portraits are notable for their psychological complexity and their portrayal of human isolation.

By bringing the traditional methods of a history painter to bear on contemporary subject matter, Degas became a classical painter of modern life.