Degas at the Opera

(Hardback)

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Description

Throughout his entire career, from his debut in the 1860s up to his final works post1900, the Opera formed the focal point of Degas's output. It was his own 'front room'. He explored the theatre's various spaces - auditorium and stage, boxes, foyers and dance studios - and followed those who frequented them: dancers, singers, orchestral musicians, audience members and black-attired patrons lurking in the wings. This closed world presented a microcosm of infinite possibilities, allowing all manner of experimentations: multiple points of view, contrasts of lighting, the study of motion and the precision of movement. This book is the first to consider the Opera as a whole, examining not only Degas' passionate relationship with the House and his musical tastes, but also the limitless resources of this marvellous 'toolbox'. The work of a truly great artist offers us a unique portrait of the Paris Opera in the 19th century.

Reviews

'Sumptuously illustrated, the book uses Degas paintings, drawings, sculptures, prints and fan designs, all superbly reproduced, as well as extensive to contemporary photographs, to record the artists fascination with the spectacles presented in the late 19th century at the Paris Opera' - Dancing Times
'Stunning' - Daily Mail
'Theres only one word for this: joyous' - The Artist
'Insightful' - Art Society Magazine
'The tour de force of this book is to give a palpable sense of Degass long, steady gaze at the ballet and radical stylisation of reality that ensued, to strip his work of its familiarity and make it strange again' - World of Interiors

Author Bio

Henri Loyrette is the former director of the Louvre Museum (20012013). He is the author of nineteen books on various subjects, including Degas, Gustave Eiffel and Marcel Proust.