Glencoe World History © 2010

Degas

Introduction
Social trends in the mid-1800s in France are readily apparent in the works of many of the impressionist artists. The work of Edgar Degas is a good example. In this activity you will learn about impressionism and about the contribution of Degas to a new style in painting and sculpture.

Destination Title: Edgar Degas: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Directions

• Read the information on the Web site about Degas. Take notes as you read.
• Click on “Life” and read the information.
• Go back and click on “Artistic Styles.” Read the information.
• Click on two of Degas’s paintings and review his works.

Use the information you found to answer the following questions.

1			Which master painter did Degas study under in his youth? How did this painter influence Degas’s beliefs about painting?
2			As an artist, what term did Degas prefer to be called by, and why?
3			How did the style and subjects of Degas differ from those of other impressionists?
4			How did the Dreyfus case affect Degas's life?
5			Click on two paintings and answer these questions about them: What is the setting of the painting? What impression does the painting give of life in nineteenth-century France? What social class is Degas depicting in the painting? Name one impressionist quality that is apparent in the painting.