Art History Lesson for Young Children

1. By: Mrs. Shari Jackson

2. Edgar Degas
 He was a French artist/painter/sculptor.
 He was considered to be an impressionist, although he did
not often use bright colors. He called himself a realist, as
his paintings looked more realistic detailed and his
subjects were more common.
 He painted light and movement.
 He often copied the great masters.
 He began painting when he was a young boy.
 Degas used pastels like paint.
 Degas was never married.
 He actually owned one of Van Gogh’s Sunflower paintings.

3. Degas painted this self-portrait when he was 21 years old. He painted over 2000
paintings in his lifetime. He always seemed to be working.

4. Degas spent a lot of his time at the Paris Opera House. This was like going to the
movies, at this time.

5. Degas loved the ballet and he enjoyed painting ballet dancers and racehorses. He
was fascinated by movement and strength.

6. Degas learned that the rehearsals were more interesting than the actual ballet. He
painted beautiful dancers doing ordinary things like stretching, chattering, tying laces,
adjusting straps, yawning and resting.

7. Degas was often bad tempered. He would apologize, later, for his unkind words.

8. Many artist placed their subjects in the middle of the canvas. Degas often
placed his subjects, to the side, and he would often draw the back of the
room.

9. Later in his life, Degas had a problem with his vision. Paintings created, later in his life,
had less detail.

10. (Marie van Goethem, The Little Dancer at age 14) Twenty bronze copies were made,
after Degas passed away. She never became a famous dancer, but she did become
famous.

12. Dancer at the Bar
Now it is your turn to copy a master artist.