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Edgar Degas: Drawings and Pastels
Edgar Degas (1834 –1917) was one of the outstanding draftsmen of the nineteenth century, and drawing was not only a central tenet of his art but also essential to his existence. Through an examination of his drawings and pastels, this book reveals the development of Degas’s style as well the story of his life, including his complicated relationship with the Impressionists.
Following a broadly chronological approach, the author discusses the artist’s various subject areas, from the images of dancers—which form over half of Degas’s total oeuvre—to nudes, laundresses, milliners, and the less well-known racehorse and landscape drawings. He covers the whole career, from when Degas was copying the Old Masters to learn his craft to when he ceased work in 1912 because of failing eyesight, and sets him within the artistic context of the period. Extensive research, including a careful study of the artist’s detailed notebooks, has resulted in a comprehensive exposition with, at its heart, over 200 pencil, black-chalk, pen-and-ink, and charcoal drawings and pastels of timeless appeal.
Following a broadly chronological approach, the author discusses the artist’s various subject areas, from the images of dancers—which form over half of Degas’s total oeuvre—to nudes, laundresses, milliners, and the less well-known racehorse and landscape drawings. He covers the whole career, from when Degas was copying the Old Masters to learn his craft to when he ceased work in 1912 because of failing eyesight, and sets him within the artistic context of the period. Extensive research, including a careful study of the artist’s detailed notebooks, has resulted in a comprehensive exposition with, at its heart, over 200 pencil, black-chalk, pen-and-ink, and charcoal drawings and pastels of timeless appeal.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2014
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About the author
Christopher Lloyd
40 books2 followersChristopher Lloyd CVO is a British art historian and was Surveyor of The Queen's Pictures (1988–2005). Lloyd worked in the Department of Western Art at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford for twenty years. In 1972, he was appointed to a fellowship at Harvard University's Center for Renaissance Studies, Villa I Tatti, in Florence, Italy. During 1980–81, he was a visiting research curator at the Art Institute of Chicago, concentrating on the art of early Italy.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
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March 15, 2025I always find it fascinating to hear about artist’s lives and the pursuit of their passion. Creativity, art in its different forms is something that makes humans stand out from other animals; sure, other animals can be creative in their way but for them it’s solely to sustain their primal needs to survive, such as getting food and finding shelter. For humans it’s something completely different. It’s the sustenance for our souls.
My chosen art form is writing and story-telling. It’s something that I’ve grown up with: my dad was, is, a great storyteller and I still fondly remember when our whole family used to sit at our sauna together and how my dad told me and my little brother stories. As for myself I fell in love with writing before I fell in love with reading. I think my whole personality has evolved from that specific moment, when I wrote my first story. Not that it was great or anything but it was the seed. That small yet so vital seed.
Either way, reading about the life of Edward Degas and how he dedicated his whole life (he never had a family of his own) to his art makes me kind of jealous. Because I can’t do that anymore. But as with everything, you loose some and you win some. I suspect, even though art is very filling for the soul, that he lead a lonely life. Whereas I have other responsibilities, I’m a wife and even though spending time with my husband is something I want to do, it inevitably means that I get less time to write. But as I said, you win some and you loose some and the time spent with my husband is so precious to me. It’s priceless.
Anyhow, it was interesting to get to know more about my favourite painter and his art. Just the way he’s able to capture the light catching a piece of silk or the gracious lift of a ballerina’s leg, is a marvel to behold.
My chosen art form is writing and story-telling. It’s something that I’ve grown up with: my dad was, is, a great storyteller and I still fondly remember when our whole family used to sit at our sauna together and how my dad told me and my little brother stories. As for myself I fell in love with writing before I fell in love with reading. I think my whole personality has evolved from that specific moment, when I wrote my first story. Not that it was great or anything but it was the seed. That small yet so vital seed.
Either way, reading about the life of Edward Degas and how he dedicated his whole life (he never had a family of his own) to his art makes me kind of jealous. Because I can’t do that anymore. But as with everything, you loose some and you win some. I suspect, even though art is very filling for the soul, that he lead a lonely life. Whereas I have other responsibilities, I’m a wife and even though spending time with my husband is something I want to do, it inevitably means that I get less time to write. But as I said, you win some and you loose some and the time spent with my husband is so precious to me. It’s priceless.
Anyhow, it was interesting to get to know more about my favourite painter and his art. Just the way he’s able to capture the light catching a piece of silk or the gracious lift of a ballerina’s leg, is a marvel to behold.
February 8, 2020
This book contextualizes the works of Degas. Which is nice, but after a while sounds like a broken record.
My main issue is the size of the images depicted in this book.
It's almost like the author and editors felt that the text was more important than the work by Degas, and that seems misguided.
Degas' life wasn't eventfull, he dedicated his wholelife for his work, so there's not a lot to say about him, except annalizing his phases and works, which this book does nicely. But then again, sometimes it's infuriating that the images are so small, so we can't really see the details that the author talks about. The only images that occupy two pages and are well sized seem undeserving, one of them being a landscape that looks more like a Rothko than a Degas.
Although this book has a nice collection of Degas drawing, i wouldn't buy this book if i knew then, what i know now.
My main issue is the size of the images depicted in this book.
It's almost like the author and editors felt that the text was more important than the work by Degas, and that seems misguided.
Degas' life wasn't eventfull, he dedicated his wholelife for his work, so there's not a lot to say about him, except annalizing his phases and works, which this book does nicely. But then again, sometimes it's infuriating that the images are so small, so we can't really see the details that the author talks about. The only images that occupy two pages and are well sized seem undeserving, one of them being a landscape that looks more like a Rothko than a Degas.
Although this book has a nice collection of Degas drawing, i wouldn't buy this book if i knew then, what i know now.
June 27, 2017
Lovely book! Well illustrated, and very informative!
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May 29, 2016sehr schön
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews