Degas, (Hilaire Germain) Edgar 1834-1917
French artist

Born in Paris, he studied at the �cole des Beaux-Arts under Lamothe, a pupil of Jean Ingres, then went to Italy, where he was influenced by the art of the Renaissance painters. On his return to Paris he associated with the Impressionists and took part in most of their exhibitions from 1874 to 1886. He was also influenced by Japanese woodcuts and, in the seemingly casual composition of his paintings, by photography. He travelled in Spain and Italy and visited New Orleans, USA, in 1872-73, but most of his paintings and pastels of dancers and women at their toilet were produced in his Paris studio, often with the aid of wax and clay models. His interest lay in precision of line and the modelling of the human form in space. Miss Lola at the Cirque Fernando (1879) is in the Tate Gallery, London, Rehearsal of the Ballet (c.1874) is in the Louvre, Paris, Dancer Lacing her Shoe (c.1878) is in the Paris Museum of Impressionism, Dancer at the Bar is in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, and the well-known Cotton-brokers Office (1873) is in Pau Museum. In later life, because of failing sight, he concentrated on sculpture.