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Artist Study: Edgar Degas

Class Contributor: Jenn Stec, Overstone Cooperative School, Lexington, KY
Picture
Artist
Edgar Degas (born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas)
Birth: July 19, 1834, Paris, France
Death: September 27, 1917, Paris, France
Period of Art: Realism, Impressionism
Contemporaries on the timeline: van Gogh, Cassatt, Monet, Manet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso, Gauguin, Pissarro, Cezanne, Morisot
Events on the timeline: Franco-Prussian War

Living Books Recommended
A Child's History of Art: Painting by V.M. Hillyer
Edgar Degas (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists) by Mike Venezia
Degas and the Little Dancer (Anholt's Artist Books for Children) by Laurence Anholt

Online Biographies
Edgar-Degas.org Biography
Met Museum Biography

How to do a Picture Study in a Home or Group Setting
Videos
The Great Impressionists: Edgar Degas.  This is an excellent and thorough documentary of Degas's life. As such, it discusses Parisian culture, including a brief mention of prostitution, and it shows paintings with (primarily female) nudity. Degas also illustrated a scene in friend Emile Zola's novel, which is called "The Rape." This is briefly discussed about midway through the documentary.

Private Life of a Masterpiece: Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, is a BBC documentary that chronicles the creation of this famous sculpture, its initial critical reception, and its subsequent place in art history.  You should preview this video first.  Some of the video may not be appropriate for young children as it contains music/text that reflect the popular view (at the time) that the sculpture was indecent. However, the information about how Degas created the armature for the sculpture is fascinating, as is the idea that the sculpture belonged in the Musée Dupuytren, A Paris Museum Full of Medical Curiosities (search on the museum if you want to be fascinated but horrified - the pics are not "kid-safe" but it shows you how poorly received was the sculpture to many of the audience.) The last part of the video on the bronze-casting of the original wax sculpture, and the auction of the casts, is not to be missed. Perhaps you can show excerpts of the documentary to your students, or narrate it to them.

The below links to the art work represent the highest quality image I could find in the public domain.  I've included 16 well known prints so that you can choose the prints that are most suitable for your student(s).  We print out each work at an office supply store on light card stock.  Each child has their own print for study.
  1. Self Portrait Saluting, 1865-1866
  2. Dance Class, 1871
  3. The Ballet Class, 1871-1874
  4. Dance Class at the Opera, 1872
  5. Portraits in a New Orleans Cotton Office, 1873
  6. Race Horses, c. 1873
  7. The Dance Class, 1874 (SmartHistory video on this artwork)
  8. Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, 1878-1881 (sculpture, links to history of the sculpture and its critical reception) (on view at the NGA)
  9. Alexander and Bucephalus, c. 1861-1862 (on view at the NGA)
  10. At the Milliner's, 1883
  11. Ballet Scene, 1879
  12. Orchestra of the Opera, 1869
  13. Portrait of Hortense Valpincon, 1869-1870
  14. The Dance Lesson, 1879 (in the NGA collection, but not currently on view. This link includes the background of the painting.)
  15. Four Dancers, 1899 (on view at the NGA)
  16. Horse Walking (sculpture), 1920-1921 (on view at the NGA)
This website is not affiliated with any particular institution or organization.  This website is non-sectarian and privately published.  Charlotte Mason's Philosophy of Education applies to all children, regardless of race, gender, religion, etc.  This website is supported in part by purchases you may make through Amazon affiliate links. The content on this website, unless otherwise indicated, is the intellectual property of Jennifer Stec and may not be reproduced in print or electronically without permission. Thank you!
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact CMIC
    • Consultation
  • Find A Community
    • Add/Edit Your Community
  • CM Online
    • Add/Edit Your Site, Blog, Podcast or Social Media Page
  • Conferences/Retreats
    • Add/Edit Your Retreat/Conference
  • Living Books Libraries
    • Add/Edit Your Library
  • Start a Community
    • Hosting Information Sessions
    • Starting a Book Study
    • Starting a Home Based Community
    • Charlotte Mason Cottage School >
      • Beginning a Cottage School
      • Sample Course of Study
      • Sample Schedule
      • Cottage School Resources
    • Educational Cooperative >
      • CM Community Examples >
        • Considering Lilies (NC)
        • Great River Learning (OH)
        • Overstone School (KY)
        • Truth, Beauty, Goodness Community (MN)
      • Co-op Class Examples >
        • Classes - Ex. 1
        • Classes - Ex. 2
      • Co-op Schedule Examples >
        • Schedule - Ex. 1
        • Schedule - Ex. 2
      • Co-op Operations >
        • Co-op Setup
        • Sample Member Application
        • Sample Parent Handbook
  • Co-op Resources
    • Submit Class/Co-op Resource
    • Submit Images of Community/Classroom
    • Picture Studies >
      • Picture Study Tutorial
      • John James Audubon
      • Michelangelo Buanarroti
      • Mary Cassatt
      • Paul Cezanne
      • Edgar Degas
      • Albrecht Durer
      • M. C. Escher
      • Edward Hicks
      • Winslow Homer
      • Gilbert Stuart
      • Vincent van Gogh
      • Benjamin West
    • Composer Studies >
      • Composer Study Tutorial
      • Duke Ellington & Louis Armstrong
      • George Frideric Handel
      • John Williams
    • Hymn and Song Studies >
      • Studying Hymns and Songs
      • Hymns
      • Patriotic Songs
      • Folk Songs
      • Traditional Children's Songs
    • Poetry Studies >
      • Studying Poetry
      • Walter de la Mare
      • Emily Dickinson
      • Robert Frost
      • AA Milne
      • James Whitcomb Riley
      • Christina Rossetti
      • Robert Louis Stevenson
    • Co-Op Supplies
  • Blog