The French artist known for paintings of ballet dancers and racehorses was Edgar Degas. Although he is commonly grouped with the Impressionists, Degas developed a highly individual style focused on movement, rehearsal, performance, and modern urban life.
Degas repeatedly visited ballet studios and theaters, observing dancers during lessons, backstage preparations, and performances. His compositions often show figures from unusual angles or cropped viewpoints, giving the scenes the spontaneous feel of a modern snapshot. He was especially interested in the strain and discipline behind graceful public performances, rather than simply presenting idealized dancers.
Racehorses and jockeys formed another major subject. Degas studied horses in motion and used them to explore posture, balance, and changing forms. His work in painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and pastel shows how closely he observed the mechanics of the human and animal body.
A common mistake is to treat Degas as exclusively an Impressionist painter of dancers. He exhibited with the Impressionists but often resisted their outdoor landscape emphasis and fascination with visible brushwork. He also preferred careful drawing and studio work, and his late career was increasingly affected by deteriorating eyesight.