Allegedly, Edgar Degas once said, "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see." Whether or not he actually spoke these words, this is undoubtedly the same mindset that prompted him to create stunning, meaningful pieces of art—images and ideas that continue to pervade the wholeness of mankind. But surely Degas was not alone. Like his fellow contemporaries—many of whom resided in the Parisian neighborhood of Montmarte—Degas exhibited artwork that broke conventional and time-honored standards. These were essentially artistic restraints—criteria which was established by an aristocratic committee that presided over the Salon de Paris.The Impressionism movement—Degas being a main influencer—resulted in a newfound interpretation of artistic possibility that impacted both the artist as well as the viewer, forcing history in a new and sudden direction. Consequentially, Degas' esteemed reputation endures, continuing to inspire artists over a century after his death. Though he maintained a preeminent admiration for technique enforced by the great masters—Raphael and Michelangelo especially—his subject matter carries the essence of modernity and normalcy. Degas adamantly rejected the academic principles of mythological, religious, or historical composition and, therefore, sought to illustrate figures in modern situations. His work consistently depicts leisurely settings for the viewer to observe scenes of contemporary life and activities. However, of his most accredited work, is a zealous series of dancer portraiture at the ballet. Degas was infatuated by this image because it beautifully captured classical form and intrigued his keen eye for urban realism. Throughout his career, Degas created over 1,500 paintings, sketches, and sculptures that portrayed young ballerinas, whom he would regularly observe at the Palais Garnier—an opera house in Paris. Among Degas' nearly incalculable ballerina portraits, there is one which distinctly elucidates his artistic behavior: The Star. With its own unique commentary on 19thcentury Parisian culture, The Star is a wonderful example of how Degas' work compelled the modern world to expand creative expression, and how his notoriety shaped the unceasing progression of social thought and ideals.
Degas' paintings of ballerinas are among the most recognizable images of 19thcentury Impressionism art. However, his creative and artistic affluence was not necessarily unique during this era. Many painters of his day were avant-garde artists who were drawn to Parisian cultural aesthetics like a moth to a flame; but Degas was passionately focused on one scene in particular. With great admiration, he sought to recreate the ambience of ballet and opera performances as a flaneur, inviting the spectator to imaginatively experience modernity. Degas' name in art is almost inseparable with ballerinas, in the same way that Monet's name is inseparable with waterlilies or the Sainte-Victoire mountain with Cezanne. Although Degas exhibited his work with Impressionists—including Monet and Cezanne—his pursuit to revive tradition is essentially what granted him individuality. Degas' fascination towards the human figure was shaped by his academic training, but he approached it in innovative ways by capturing the glow of artificial light of the stage and exploring the movement of ballet performances. He also preferred to work from sketches and by memory in the traditional academic manner, while other Impressionists were more interested in painting in plein air; Thus, Degas denied the label 'Impressionist' and, instead, considered himself an 'Independent' artist. Degas intended to capture more than just physical imagery. Motivated by an intimate, thought provoking response to Parisian culture, Degas—as an individual thinker—expanded Impressionism art, planting the seeds that would later give life to the Post-Impressionism movement. He once wrote, "It is very good to copy what one sees; it is much better to draw what you can't see any more but is in your memory. It is a transformation in which imagination and memory work together. You only reproduce what struck you, that is to say the necessary." Degas' elusive synthesis within his work proves this quote to be an outstandingly accurate characterization of his style. Eventually—after slowly losing his eyesight in his thirties—Degas became totally blind, forcing him to rely heavily on his memory. It's painstakingly clear that Degas was, in fact, an independent artist, and his declaration to separate himself from an already rebellious association was a revolutionary moment in history that still resonates with artists today—consciously or not.
A piece that greatly reflects Degas' bold charisma in particular is his pastel drawing, The Star, whichwas exhibited in 1877 at the Troisième Exposition Impressioniste in Paris. The central figure within this image is of a soloist ballerina who gracefully stands amidst a luminous stage. Painted from an elevated point of view, she balances in an arabesque, looking to the audience who—as viewers can imagine—gazes back in awe. Degas' captures this scene so vividly that it appears as if she was frozen in time, creating an illusion of pure and intimate allure. But she seems to embody the eternity of movement rather than its duration. Imitating the rapid movement of the dancer across the stage, Degas paints with swift calligraphic strokes that breathe life into his piece. The dancer's elegant gesture—the relationship amongst every limb—is in perfect harmony, rendering a fleeting moment of light and color. This image truly exemplifies Degas' distinguished style—his profound blend between realism and impressionism. While the ballerina's presence is that of innocence and glamor, the figure who looms offstage is both a physical and symbolic contrast in comparison. Demanding that his existence be known, Degas paints the figure as a harsh, blackened silhouette against the soft, airy pastels. This shadow of a man is regarded as the dancer's patron—an authoritative and financial investor whom the dancer is dependent upon and must, therefore, surrender. She is vulnerable. Degas uses this imagery to shed light upon the saddened reality of the Parisian ballet industry. It's evident that this pieceis not just a beautiful work of art, one that appears to solely illustrate the unadulterated joy of dance; The Star is a political statement that draws back the curtain of perception to expose a controversial, often ignored truth.
The Star represents an outstanding collection of Degas' most regarded traits as an artist—through its ability to execute an assortment of ideas and technical characteristics—therefore, many of these themes appear to reverberate throughout Degas' other works. The first is simply Degas' imagery—an attribute that certainly classifies him as an Impressionist. Degas' dancers were considered a bizarre focus for art during this era, but what really startled observers was that Degas usually depicted them off guard, performing mundane and awkward tasks—like tying ballet slippers as seen in his 1883 piece,Seated Dancer, or practicing in the studio like one of Degas' earlier paintings from 1871, The Dancing Class. Nevertheless, this trend—that which is indebted to Degas' legacy—prevails as modern artists, without hesitation, challenge the status quo. Another approach uniquely credited to the Impressionism movement is Degas' method of manipulating color and texture to capture a passing moment in time and space. Like many of his peers, Degas attempts to portray movement and the element of light or the absence thereof. But he was not only experimenting with contemporary and unusual techniques during the creation of these masterpieces, Degas was simultaneously revitalizing neglected media; Therefore, the use of pastel—an admirable feature in much of Degas' work—is a noteworthy component of his style that influences art of the modern era. At a time when oil paint was widely favored among Impressionist artists, Degas strayed yet again and embarked on a personal campaign through working with an array of classical mediums, which he often experimented with by mixing and layering together within a single composition. Thus, in a variety of ways, Degas achieved rich and lively surface effects that became one of his most incredible artistic achievements. The process and results were visionary, and it is partially responsible for the adventurous tendencies clearly demonstrated in modern art—artists who refute anything that could potentially deter their creativity. Now, there is opportunity for any material, technique, or idea to become a form of visual expression—a concept derived from Degas' artistic pursuit. However, let in not be mistaken, it is Degas' name as an Independent artist that brought him fame and not his publicized title as an Impressionist. The Star and Seated Dancer—both pastel illustrations of dancers—are model images that reflect Degas' vast success as an artist who explored the road less traveled. Despite his failure to fit a certain mold—whether it be exclusively classical or exclusively contemporary—the combination of Degas' immense competence and innovative style was able to secure his lasting impression on art.
Today, modern artists are defined and revered by their ability to provoke emotion, which often evolves from compelling messages within their work. The Impressionism movement was a radical and momentous turning point in the history of art. For millenniums, the value of art was judged by traditional measures that prohibited a vast amount of individual expression. Undoubtedly, Degas' defiance was a significant contributor to the freedom artists are allowed today. Along with the ideals of present-day that have developed since the turn of the 20thcentury, modern art pursues emotion and intellect, and gives a voice to the voiceless. The chains that once bound us, art now transcends. Degas' work not only inspired the art to come, but paved the road for the entirety of generations that followed and those which have yet to come. The pioneering individuals and events that conceived this era of transformation dramatically altered the course of history and not just art itself. The Impressionism movement was a catalyst in the ratification of philosophical thought and methods, and it energized a flourishing acceptance for diversity. Remarkably, a year after the 100thanniversary of his death, Degas' legacy abundantly prevails—notably rooted in the ethics which modern culture sanctions and respectfully practices. The Star is a quintessential reflection of Degas' artistic career; It is an image that epitomizes his mesmerizing and often troubling interpretation of human existence. Although our world continues to adapt, expand, and refine societal tendencies, we refuse to digress to an ideology that forbids us to explore our imaginations through means of creativity. Surely, Degas is to thank for this universal, unmistakable perseverance that matures humanity—our hearts, our minds, and the art which reflects both.
