Edgar Degas, The Private Impressionist: Works on Paper by the Artist & His Circle

Edgar Degas (1834–1917) is one of the most revered artists of all time. The French Impressionist is renowned for his paintings, sculptures, prints, and drawings that capture the world of late 19th-century Paris, especially the everyday lives and psychology of his subjects. He is best remembered for his pastels and oil paintings of ballet dancers, which account for half of his oeuvre, but this exhibition illuminates lesser-known aspects of his career and life through a selection of 104 rare works on paper. One of the keenest observers of human nature, Degas was deeply private despite his success and fame. The Private Impressionist sheds light on the personality of the complex man and the artists he called friends, and reveals his eclecticism, both in diversity of subject matter and in his experimentation with techniques. It contains 24 drawings, 23 prints, eight photographs, one sculpture, and a letter by Degas. Created mainly for himself, as reflections or experiments and with no intention to sell or display them, their subject matter is personal. Highlights include self-portraits, depictions of his family and friends, and early drawings after antique sculpture and Old Master paintings. They also depict some of Degas’ most common subjects — dancers, female nudes, jockeys, racehorses, and portraits. Displayed alongside Degas’ works are 47 pieces by his contemporaries, including Mary Cassatt, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Cézanne, Édouard Manet, Camille Pissarro, and Eadweard Muybridge, among others. These, along with photomurals, illustrated timelines, and video and music selections, provide further insight into his private world and demonstrate his influence. The exhibition runs from November 15, 2025 through February 1, 2026.

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Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3284769-0

Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3284769-2

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