Impressionist artist Edgar Degas appeared onlight in the capital of France, his father was a banker. Drawing boy studied at the School of Fine Arts. His talent was already noticeable from childhood, but he began to create real masterpieces much later.
Pictures on historical themes
At the end of the 1850s, when Edgar was inItaly, he managed to get acquainted with the work of old artists. Soon he returned to France and wrote several paintings based on historical subjects (a contest of Spartan boys and girls, Semiramis, laying the city, etc.). But the classic themes in these canvases were, perhaps, only themes: the Greeks and Edgar looked like the inhabitants of Paris, and the manner of the image was rather relaxed and fresh.
Portraits
In the 1860s, the artist wrote severalamazing portraits, something reminiscent of the works of Ingres, but in general, very original and recognizable. In these pictures, the qualities inherent in all the works of Degas are already clearly visible: objectivity, the desire to convey as accurately as possible all the details, noble colors, and elegance. The letter can be called soft, like that of Ingres, but the style of the canvas is similar to the masterpieces of Manet. Of particular note is a portrait of a woman with flowers - this has never happened before in the history of painting. The artist undoubtedly places the lady on the edge, and part of her body is cut off.
Fashion trends in art. What did Degas portray?
From the 1860s to the 1870s, the artist is often inCafe Herbua, also sometimes looks in the "New Athens". These institutions are often visited by Man and his comrades. Degas's paintings are regularly displayed at the exhibitions of impressionist artists. What was considered relevant at the time? First of all, the embodiment in the canvases of direct emotions, in addition, contemporary artists did not shy away from immersion in the lives of ordinary people, they drew inspiration from there.
The Parisian creator considered the demonstration of the truth of life to be the meaning of its activity. By the way, he was always against her embellishment.
Amazing paradox, anticipation of modern cinema
Each picture of Degas - the result of longobservations and exhausting work to turn them into a finished image. There was nothing immediate in his canvases, he pondered over every detail for a long time, and in this he was similar to Poussin. But all his paintings are distinguished by the fact that they depict a moment, a very fragile moment. It would seem that Edgar Degas saw a certain image quite by accident and hastily painted it. This is the paradox. When looking at the artist's picture, it may seem that she stopped for only a second, and soon all the details on her will come into motion. And so it should be. So plausibly Degas conveyed a frantic pace of life, characteristic of his time. The artist had a weakness for the movement and wanted to depict only him. Renoir said that this is generally characteristic of many creators of that era.
The artist can be considered in a senseprophet, as he anticipated the emergence of modern photography and films. It is interesting that the people depicted on his canvases seem to be captured not as a regular but as a hidden camera. As for girls who put themselves in order, Edgar Degas said that until some time naked women appeared on the pictures in such unnaturally erotic poses that it seemed as if there was an observer before whom they adorn. And his women are completely relaxed and do not try to please anyone, but are fully engaged in washing, combing and dressing.
Prose creates poetry
Degas always wanted to penetrate the secrets of life, and it can be considered both romantic in nature and an objective observer at the same time. There are wonderful moments in his paintings, and a gruff truth.
Понять это можно, рассмотрев его полотна, в the foundation of which is ballet. He depicts and theatrical "behind the scenes", and a fabulous performance unfolding on the stage. Rustic and absolutely unromantic ballerinas turn into elegant fairies before our eyes, it is prose that creates poetry. How well understood this pattern Edgar Degas! The ballerina becomes a graceful butterfly, once she starts her dance.
Using pastels, changing the style
With age, Degas is increasingly turning topastels, as a rule, connecting it with gouache, lithography or monotype. He liked her because of her noble softness, combined with richness and intensity of shade, as well as beautiful dullness. Over time, the style of the artist becomes more monumental. There is no longer a variety of small details, but the color and the line merge into one. Pretty tangible change in creativity. As for the late paintings of Degas, the most important place in them is occupied by the color, this radiant, free, amazing element.
Figurines
Almost all his life, Degas made sculptures:he made figures of running horses, dancers in elegant poses and girls who put themselves in order from clay and colored wax. Toward the end of his life, the artist developed an eye disease, and he could no longer paint, but dealt only with these statuettes. Edgar Degas, whose sculptures were unknown to the world for a long time, hid another of his talents from the public. His last years were dramatic: the creator, surprising his comrades with impeccable eyesight, died very badly seeing.
"Blue Dancers"
Separately, it should be said about this picture.When you first look at it, it may seem that music is about to begin to sound, and pure shades shine so cheerfully and brightly. This picture personifies complete looseness and freedom. However, critics and viewers often scoffed at the artist for “cutting off” the image, they said that Degas simply could not harmoniously place an object or person on the canvas to fit into his size.
This picture is written in pastel, as it was alreadysaid above, Edgar Degas loved her because she allowed to combine line and color. Several dancers seemed to merge into one; the whole canvas was imbued with the idea of harmonious movement. What is before us: the frozen moment of rehearsal, performances? Or on the canvas depicts the image of the same girl, but in different angles? Probably, the viewer will not ask this question, as he will be fascinated by the radiance of the heavenly color, which is darker in some areas, and lighter in others. Skirts shimmer and sparkle, fascinating with their brilliance ...
Thanks to this picture, a wide circle of people found out who Edgar Degas is. The Blue Dancers brought him fame.
"The figure in motion"
Недавно в Эрмитаже прошла выставка под названием "The figure in motion", which were demonstrated sculptures of Degas. These figurines as if descended from the pictures. Many of the thirty bronze figurines of the Parisian master were made at a time when he created canvases. Some are based on an absolutely original idea, which has no analogues. For example, the “Bath” figure needs to be observed from above - nothing like this has ever happened in the history of sculpture.
The master never showed his statues,except for "The Little Dancer". Degas dressed her in real fabrics, which the critics totally disliked. After this incident, the artist created the figures exclusively “for the soul” and not for exhibitions.
Edgar Degas never made from bronze. He made his sculptures from wax as well as clay. The master liked these materials. He could change anything at will, for example, the position of the horse's leg.
In old age, when Degas is already badI saw, he made only such figures. After his death, 150 wax figurines were found in his apartment - almost all of them were similar to his canvases: ballerinas, washable women, horsemen on horseback.
The relatives of the artist made the sculptures found bronze, in the end they got 74 figures, which were given to the best museums.
Such a wonderful creator as Edgar Degas has opened in a new way for all the people who visited this exhibition. “The figure in motion” became a real sensation for art lovers.
