BOME

Degas' Compositional Technique by Alison Cullen

Aside from the voyeuristic quality of his paintings, Edgar Degas' modernity is displayed in his unique style of spatial arrangements and composition. He studied Japanese prints as well as photography, leading him to incorporate unusual visual angles, cutoffs, and off-center subjects.

For example, in "La Repetition de Danse" (The Dance Rehearsal), the main figure, the dance instructor, is the smallest figure of all: he is to the right, far in the background, and partially covered by women in the foreground. In addition, the center of the canvas, traditionally the space for a painting's focus, is a plain, bare floor. To the right of the painting, the figure closest to the viewer is a dancer standing on the floor. However, over half of her body is cut off by the edge of the painting, a technique called photo cropping. The way in which Degas arranges his paintings reminds us that we are the viewer, that we are the audience; "...that the wholeness of the picture is contingent on our reading of it." Degas upset the conventional notions of pictorial composition.

Degas, The Dance Rehearsal (1874)

From http://ocaiw.com/degalg30.htm

In addition to these unusual techniques, Degas was also very interested in and influenced by photography. Most artists of the time period feared the new technology because they thought they would be outdated. Degas appeared to have an opposite view. This is shown by his choice of subject matter. For example, Degas is well known for painting bodies in motion; whether they be racehorses, bathers, laundresses, or ballet dancers.

For example, in Degas' "Le Faux Depart" (The False Start), with the galloping horse he captures the expression of motion. In this painting, the specific position of the horse's legs is not as important as the idea of motion.

Degas, Le Faux Depart (1869-1871)

From http://www.spectrumvoice.com/art/19th/french/degas/degas1f.jpg

He also attempted to catch his subjects in unrehearsed (occasionally to the point of awkward) poses. For example, in Degas' Le Bain Matinal (The Morning Bath), a woman is caught entering the bath. She is frozen in time in mid-step; a snapshot taken in the middle of a movement. Her position is very awkward and uncomfortable. The viewer cannot even get a glimpse of her face (or her front, for that matter). Degas has captured the moment in time, much like a photograph.

Degas, Le Bain Matinal (ca. 1895)

From http://sunsite.auc.dk/cgfa/degas/p-degas33.htm

Both of these styles are imitating the types of images that might be captured by action photographs. However, Degas was not attempting to create photographs. He did not paint these fleeting moments as they happened - as an Impressionist would. In fact, he usually made quick sketches and then returned to his studio to paint the scenes. Therefore, Degas was painting from memory most of the time, while systematically arranging the scene as he wished it to appear. Drawing on the newly developed art of photography, Degas combined some of its aspects with those of painting, and created a beautiful, fascinating form of art. Degas' compositional techniques were modern because he illustrated a loss of center in his paintings as well as incorporating photography, a recently developed invention, into his art.

Degas Introduction| Impressionism| Relationship Between Subject and Viewer| Compositional Techniques| Depiction of Women

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