“Great Artists” - a collection about outstanding masters of painting. The book series contains more than 50 illustrations, an “exquisitely written” biography of the artist and the history of the creation of the paintings. The album is dedicated to the work of Degas.

One of the most brilliant French artists, Edgar Degas (1834-1917), is traditionally classified as an impressionist, but in his pure form he is not one. On the one hand, Degas is indifferent to the cornerstone of impressionism - landscapes. On the other hand, he uses the techniques of his “competitors” and worships classical painting. However, the main similarity remains - the insatiable desire to capture the moment. Sometimes it's beautiful. Sometimes - not so much. But it's always real. In terms of technique, the artist often approached photographic art, but not to the modern Degas, but to the future, which will blossom only by the middle of the 20th century. He thought through the composition so carefully that there was a feeling of a randomly taken shot. And therefore - a successfully captured moment. The paintings are distinguished by a sharp, dynamic perception of modern life, with a strictly verified asymmetrical composition, flexible and precise drawing, unexpected angles of figures. Ingres, whom Degas considered the largest painter of our time, had a great influence on the young painter. At the beginning of his career, he painted portraits of relatives, friends, and self-portraits: “Rene de Gas with an inkwell,” “Self-portrait,” “The Bellely Family,” “Portrait of a Father Listening to Guitarist Pagans.” Along with the influence of Ingres, in the works of Degas there is a noticeable connection with the traditions of the French Renaissance. He paints paintings on historical themes: “Young Spartan women challenging competition of the Spartans”, “Semiramis at the construction of Babylon”. However, in his paintings Degas does not strive to follow classical models and ideals - his figures are angular, thin, their movements are sharp, and their forms are far from perfect. Degas exhibited at Impressionist exhibitions from the first (1874) to the last (1886). However, he does not accept everything in their method. Degas is more concerned with the life of the city rather than the landscape. He strives to convey instantaneous, elusive movement - hence his interest in the world of theater, backstage, ballet, circus, horse racing: ballerinas, horses flying to the finish line, gambling, dexterous jockeys, excited crowds of spectators. Degas is a brilliant draftsman, the soul of his art is line, fast, precise, impetuous. A few strokes are enough to capture a characteristic pose, a professional gesture: “Jockeys in front of the stands”, “Horse racing in the provinces”, “Young jockey”, “Mademoiselle Fiocre in the ballet “The Source”, “Opera Orchestra”, “Star”, “Blue Dancers”, “Ballet rehearsal on stage”. Degas masterfully conveys the movements of a person in everyday life, his gaze here is sometimes ironic and mocking: “After the bath,” “Before bed,” “Brushing her hair.” Degas traveled a lot in France, visited Belgium and America. But the main place of his observations is Paris. It was here that he created the famous paintings “Absinthe” and “The Ironers”. Degas is a subtle colorist; his pastels are either harmonious and light, or, on the contrary, built on sharp color contrasts. His paintings seem to be random scenes snatched from the flow of life, but this “accident” is the fruit of a thoughtful composition, where a cut fragment of a figure or building emphasizes spontaneity of impression.