Edgar Degas (1834-1917)was born to a banker in Paris. He received a classical art education at a national art school, while he attentively studied historical masterpieces in Italy and Louvre to acquire classical painting techniques.
In 1862 he met Manet and joined Le Cafe Guerbois which was frequented by the avant-garde. Through the encounters with these artists, he became interested in rendering the modern life in Paris including race horses, dancers and working women. He exhibited in the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874 and did so for the all eight of subsequent exhibitions except for the 7th one in 1882.
Photography started to spread widely in Paris then. The introduction of the Japanese Ukiyoe revealed new perspectives alien to the western paintings. Degas assimilated these new elements into his painting style and frequently used snap shot type of approaches, in which figures were truncated at the edge of the canvas. He effectively depicted such objects as horses and dancers in their actions.
"Three Dancers in Red Costume" is part of the series of pastel dancers. The part of the bodies of the dancers who are waiting for their appearance is not visible due to the stage lighting. By doing this, the full focus is on the facial expressions of the dancers who are paying attention to nothing but to the stage.
Three Dancers in Red Costume
Commentary
Edgar Degas (1834-1917)was born to a banker in Paris. He received a classical art education at a national art school, while he attentively studied historical masterpieces in Italy and Louvre to acquire classical painting techniques.
In 1862 he met Manet and joined Le Cafe Guerbois which was frequented by the avant-garde. Through the encounters with these artists, he became interested in rendering the modern life in Paris including race horses, dancers and working women. He exhibited in the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874 and did so for the all eight of subsequent exhibitions except for the 7th one in 1882.
Photography started to spread widely in Paris then. The introduction of the Japanese Ukiyoe revealed new perspectives alien to the western paintings. Degas assimilated these new elements into his painting style and frequently used snap shot type of approaches, in which figures were truncated at the edge of the canvas. He effectively depicted such objects as horses and dancers in their actions.
"Three Dancers in Red Costume" is part of the series of pastel dancers. The part of the bodies of the dancers who are waiting for their appearance is not visible due to the stage lighting. By doing this, the full focus is on the facial expressions of the dancers who are paying attention to nothing but to the stage.
Painting
Apple Picking
Small Table in Evening Dusk
Song of Songs (Le Cantique des Cantiques)
Haystacks
Waterlilies
Cliff of Gréville
Coutyard at the ‘Rondest House’, Pontoise
Woman Wearing a Hat with Silk Gauze
Delightful Land (Te Nave Nave Fenua)
All Things Die, But All Will Be Resurrected through God’s Love
Wave
Carriage and Pair
Three Dancers in Red Costume
Autumn Sea
Old Horse in the Wasteland
Landscape
Festival of Venis
Hair
Winter Orchard
Beethoven
Landscape of La Ferté-Milon
Annunciation