Many famous artists have attempted to capture the human spirit and essence of movement, but few have achieved the beautiful embodiment of it like Hilaire Germain Edgar Degas has. Dancers become immortalized and horses take on elegant qualities through Degas's deft, swift, Impressionist brush strokes. The warm neutral tones and occasional bright colors add feeling and raw emotion to his works, whether sculpture, oil paint, or pastels. Despite his temperamental behavior and various personal struggles, Degas is known as one of the foremost and key Impressionists worldwide. "Ballet Class" offers a peek into ordinary life in Paris and a glimpse into the world of Edgar Degas as well.

Hilaire Germain Edgar Degas entered this world on July 19, 1834 quite appropriately in Paris, the City of Lights. Appropriately because light, among a few other things, is key to Impressionism and Degas's use of light brings out the subjects and important focus areas of his paintings. At the time of his birth, his family was spelling their surname "De Gas" to look and sound more aristocratic, but Degas returned to his roots and original surname spelling sometime around 1870. Degas's childhood is not of grea

Degas loved to paint ballet dancers. Attending the ballet was considered fashionable during Degas's time, particularly among middle-aged men. These men are occasionally seen in the backgrounds of Degas's works, like in "Ballet Class," where there is a man standing behind the ballerina in the right middle-ground. The fact that Degas chose women as one of his primary subjects (dancing or bathing, usually) is interesting because Degas never had any known significant relationship with any woman. Many of his male ballet-attending contemporaries found it common practice to have sexual relations with the ballerinas, but Degas does not show this in his work, suggesting his disapproval of that practice (Lipton). There is some speculation about a relationship between American Impressionist Mary Cassatt and Degas, but no solid proof showing anything besides a good friendship.

Sutherland, Jean, and Henri Loyrette et al. "Degas." 1988. (Online). 17 April 2001.

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ly. Lighting can make or break a painting. The front right corner is highlighted because of the light source and that is what the viewer probably notices first. The two girls and the mirror in the back are somewhat shadowy and might even be overlooke

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