Abstract In this article, the writer looks at the concept of hyper-sensuality as it is portrayed in the artistic work of Edgar Degas. The writer refers to Degas' famous painting 'Le Etoile' and describes a variety of possible responses from the audience. As this essay argues, the erotics of hyper-sensuality are central to an appreciation of Degas' achievement in this work.
From the Paper "The creation of hyper-sensuality in artistic media can take many forms depending upon the medium and the interests of the artist. In the case of Edgar Degas' celebrated painting L'Etoile or "Star" (1876-1877) the artist stimulates an array of multiple sensual responses ranging from the primary visual nature of the image, to its auditory musical resonances, to the intense eroticism of the female form for its presumably male audience."
This paper discusses the interaction between two themes in the paintings and drawings of Edgar Degas. The first is the study of form and shape, primarily of women. The second is his attitude towards the socioeconomic class of his subjects.
Abstract The writer argues that, because of Degas' upbringing in a family attempting to appear as nobility, he became interested in "class." Commentary on class structure was a deeply engrained part of the art world at the time that Degas was in the forefront of the field.
From the Paper "The later work of Degas began to concentrate on women in the bath, either actually washing, or getting in and out of various tubs. This was a focus on the female body in its most pure form. The fascination he had always shown with women was now given free reign, without clothing or background to complicate his work. It is interesting, though, to note that his interest in class, as well as gender, was still represented. The bathing woman has been separated from most of the social and cultural cues that give the viewer information as to her background. This is another way that Degas demonstrated that his interest in the female form cut across class boundaries."
Abstract This paper examines the art of Edgar Degas, a French Impressionist painter noted most for his ability to portray motion and sponteity in his work. It discusses how one of his favorite subjects to paint was dance and how his obsession with the female form drove him to become more skilled at painting dancing woman than anyone before or since. It looks at how none of his paintings were ever comissioned and he preferred to paint women going through the moments of daily life, unaware of the candid insights of voyeuristic beauty to be gained from their skilled observation.
From the Paper "Degas has captured young ballerinas of the Paris opera house at their most natural, when they are practicing unselfconsciously behind the scenes, not performing for the public. The ballet dancers resemble a sequence in a movie, all of the same fascinating for their totally innovating cuts, for the decentralized pagination, for the unusual angularity: in this sense, it is evident the influence from the orientalism, highly fashionable at his time, and from Japanese prints, of which Degas was a fond collector. "
This paper discusses Edgar Degas, an impressionist artist whose artwork revealed a concern for the psychology of movement, expression, harmony of line and continuity of curves that distinguished him from all the other impressionist painters.
Abstract This paper explains that, although Deges was connected with the impressionists, he never was fascinated like others were by the influence of natural light and thus did most of his work inside his studio only. The paper continues that his paintings depicted ballet, horse racing, the theater and circuses, which gave the idea that his work stemmed from the humanistic experience. The author points out that Degas? favorite subjects were scenes from the world of entertainment, the daily life of women, ballet dancers, horse races and young ballerinas.
From the Paper "Degas was captivated and influenced by a study of Japanese prints of which style appeared to be in his later work. He drew on the Japanese idea of asymmetrical design as an object to set the subject to the side of a painting. For example, one of his paintings made in 1865, depicted a Woman with Chrysanthemums (exhibited at Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City) where the female subject is pushed into one side by a bouquet of flowers."
This paper analyzes "The Peale Family" painted by Charles Wilson Peale (1773 &1809. The New York Historical Society) and "The Bellini Family" painted by Edgar Degas (1859. Musee d'Orsay).
900 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 2 sources, 2002, $ 35.95
Abstract This paper uses the strategies that are part of critiquing in the book "Humanities through the Arts" by F. David Martin and Lee Jacobus. Paris). The author praises "The Peale Family" painted by Charles Wilson Peale, but "The Bellini Family" painted by Edgar Degas, although beautiful in its own way, is subjected to conflicting criticism. The paper explains that, by observing the line, color, and artistic agenda of each of these painters, we can critique them along the guidelines offered by Martin in his book.
Abstract This paper compares a painting by Pre-Raphaelite British artist Burne-Jones with an important work by Realist, Edgar Degas. Both paintings appeared in 1860-1970 decade and have something important to say about that era and the two painters.
Abstract This paper discusses the subject matter and analyzes formal elements such as composition, line, texture, mass, and volume. It questions how Degas used color and light in this painting; how he organized design principles of balance, rhythm, and proportion; and whether this painting is telling a story or just simply a snippet into the reality of the subject like a photograph? Other questions include what symbolism and imagery is evident in the painting, how effectively the artist used the materials and formal elements to create a particular impression or illustrate a theme, whether Degas was successful, and what did this painting mean to him?
From the Paper "I chose a work by Degas because I believe that for his time, he was an innovative thinker. Many art experts place his work amongst that of the Impressionists. Like some, I believe he was at the tail end of this movement, focused less on light and subdued choice of color and focused more on his subject's movement. This is not to say that he did not use light and color to convey his message. In fact Anthea Callen writes: "Degas' culture made it inevitable that he represent masculine desire and anxieties about masculine identity evoked by such desire through an apparently detached masculine scrutiny of the female body" (6). It is because of his blatant obsessions that such passion can be revealed to the viewer. His intensity is apparent throughout his depth of work and his critical way of pushing the envelope reflects his pursuit of "the great Neoclassicist's linear perfection" (Hartt, 850). According to the art historian Hartt, "Degas defined the goal of his own style succinctly as 'bewitching the truth'" (851)."
Abstract This paper analyzes the painting "Dancers in Pink," painted by Edgar Degas in 1878. The paper describes the compositional structure of the painting and how it appeals aesthetically to the viewer. The paper then goes on to discuss the synthesis between form and color in the entire work and how they enhance the overall painting. The paper concludes by describing the use of paint and the technique of paint application, as well as Degas' choice of hues and tones.
From the Paper "This experimentation with painting technique can be seen in the different method of paint application work. Some areas in the dresses of the two main figures are thinly painted, possibly diluted with turpentine, while others seem to be more impasto-like in their quality. It is the use of washes over thick paint that, especially in the skin tones, provides the feeling of tactile sensuality. It seems as if the pink and orange has been painted over an underlayer of flesh tones, which can just be seen beneath the rich folds of the dresses. The brush strokes also vary throughout the painting, with smoother and crisper brushwork in the dresses and figures and rougher, more 'sketchy' brushwork in the background and in the smaller figures."
Abstract This paper discusses four different pieces of art, all of nude women and all done by different artists during the late nineteenth, early twentieth century. It looks at "Reclining Nude" by Amedeo Modigliani, "Woman with a Towel' by Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas, "Nude on a Sofa" by Fritz Steinmetz-Noris and "Woman with a Cat" by Fernand Leger. Each painting is described in turn looking at style, color and possible story lines. Pictures of the paintings are included in the paper.
From the Paper "Woman with a Towel is unquestionably impressionistic in style, showing visible brushwork, vague shapes and unblended colors. The painting offers a study in shadow more than light and shadow. The woman's face is not visible, which seems an unusual perspective for the artist to take. Her body is voluptuous and sensual with only one full breast exposed. The draping of the towel, exaggerated in size, twisted and as the lightest area of the painting, draws attention and is especially sensual. The painting is the study of a pose and of a mood. The figure is mysterious. The viewer must wonder what sort of expression she has on her invisible face. Has she just stepped out of a bath shared with her lover?"
Abstract This paper examines the artistic style known as impressionism from an aesthetic and historical perspective, with particular emphasis on the way in which the sociological and demographic changes of the Parisian metropolis contributed to the development of the revolutionary impressionist painting technique. It pays particular attention to three works of art, Renoirs "The Great Boulevards," Degas "Place de la Concorde," and Manets "A Bar at the Folies-Berg?re," describing the way in which both the style and the subject of these paintings reflect the urban experience of late nineteenth-century Paris.
From the Paper "The physical changes wrought by Baron Haussman upon the architecture of late nineteenth-century Paris provided an appropriate backdrop for a social and cultural revolution that profoundly influenced the relationships of the citys inhabitants and visitors both to one another and to the modern metropolis itself. That revolution was known in the art world as Impressionism. More so than any other type of visual expression, the artwork of the impressionist masters perfectly captured the essence of the changing face of Paris, reflecting the manner in which the experience of the metropolis defined both the style and the substance of great paintings. Three works of art in particular epitomize this relationship and are therefore deserving of special mention: Renoirs The Great Boulevards, Degas Place de la Concorde, and Manets A Bar at the Folies-Berg"re. In addition to depicting the physical and social changes of the city, these paintings mirror the various emotional responses evoked by the modern metropolis and reflect the diverse relationships of the individual to the organic form of the city as a whole. Although the three paintings display different visions of urban life, they all seek to unify the contradictory and paradoxical elements of contemporary life under the transcendent theme of modernity. Renoirs The Great Boulevards conveys a sense of the duality of beauty, Degas Place de la Concorde draws a visual comparison between the fl"neur and the badaud, and Manets Bar at the Folies- Berg?re presents the dichotomy of isolation and interaction within a social setting."
Abstract This paper will discuss alienation in three works of art. The works analyzed are: Edgar Degas, "The Glass of Absinthe," of 1876, Edward Hopper, "The Nighthawks," of 1942 and George Segal, "Walk, Don't Walk," of 1976. In revealing the essence of loneliness in these paintings, we can see how they tell us of the alienation that these works of art behold. The way they were painted and the objective views of alienation will be discussed in relation to their creation.
This paper explores the relationship between art and technology and concentrates on the importance of photography in the emergence between art and technology.
Abstract With the developments in technology, the connection between art and technology came faster than ever. This paper explores how the invention of photography affected the relationship between art and technology in the history of art. It includes genres like Impressionism, Modernism, and Dadaism, and also talks about very important figures of art history, such as Pablo Picasso, Edgar Degas, and Paul Cezanne.
From the Paper "The first major modern technological advance that began to change the face of art was photography. Photography was invented by the French painter Louis Daguerre in 1837 and was immediately met with opposition from many in the art world. Artists had long struggled trying to capture a realistic portrait of the world around them. Now with photography, science had succeeded marvelously. Thus, the photograph introduced an era of mechanical reproducibility which challenged the accepted paradigm of artistic genius: the concept of a work of art as a unique image created by hand by a trained artist. Photography slowly began taking the jobs earlier filled by artists. It proved to be a faster and less expensive way to accurately portray the world; therefore, photography was used to take pictures of buildings and portraits where earlier an artist would have been commissioned (Wolter-Abele, 1)."
Abstract An examination of two impressionist artists: Edgar Degas and Auguste Rodin. The paintings are examined for their similarities and differences. The painters' styles are explored and the writer discusses how their techniques were part of the development of impressionist art of the period.
From the Paper "Rodin, on the other hand, creates not an impression of a feeling, but rather an expression of a concept. Unlike Degas, he pays intense attention to the modeling of musculature, to the exact twisting of the torso, to the squint of an eye or the precise extension and elevation of a tortured leg. While Rodin expresses tough and demanding concepts-it doesn't get much tougher than martyrdom-Degas creates an impression of expectancy, a willingness and readiness to move forward from the slightly uncomfortable position of now to one of greater fulfillment later. This is evident in the posture of the young dancer, and, according to at least some of his biographers, it is also an apt metaphor for Degas' own approach to and feelings about his own work."
Abstract This paper examines how the main theme of the impressionist artists was the reflection of personal impression on canvas. The author reviews the work of impressionists Claudet Monet, Edgar Degas, Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissaro and Berthe Morrisot. It concludes that the contribution of Impressionists is invaluable because they set new standards of fine art, which gave birth to other categories of art such as post-impressionism, symbolism, primitivism and modern.
From the Paper "The father of the Impressionist movement is considered to be Claudet Monet (1840-1926), French painter of the late nineteenth century, who developed new technique when painting French landscapes on open-air. Monet came to the conclusion that a painting "made on the open air, has a unique freshness and liveliness, which is unable to be achieved when working in the workshop", where the theme is preplanned. According to Monet, painter had to change the way he perceives reality by fragmenting it into naive and primitive images, which formed the core of the aesthetic impression. Monet set a new task to the art, to reflect a momentary impression, to picture every moment and every element of objects motion in order to make painting alive."
Abstract The writer of this paper explores the life and artistic motivations of Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh moved to Paris in 1886 where he was exposed to the works of great artists such as Monet, Renoir Degas and Signac, which resulted in a dramatic shift to his usual style of painting. Van Gogh's subject matter had also changed, from dark, rugged peasants to more serene subjects. The artist created a new style of painting called expressionism, which symbolized the artists' inner feelings about the subjects he was painting. This paper discusses Van Gogh's various works of art which clearly show the inner turmoil the artist suffered during his lifetime.
From the Paper "Near the end of his stay at Saint-Remy, Van Gogh's use of colors became more subdued. In "Wheat Field with a Reaper", Van Gogh used the reaper to symbolize death, as a figure toiling in the noontime heat, to hurry and get his tiresome chore finished. Van Gogh did not see death as a sad thing, in this painting he used a pure gold color to flood the work with light. Van Gogh left Saint-Remy in 1890 and spent the last two months of his life in Auvers-sur-Oise, a small picturesque village about twenty miles north of Paris. As his mental health worsened, Van Gogh suffered more severe bouts of depression, sometimes exploding in anger. After these episodes, he would go out into the fields and talk to himself."
