Degas Frequently Asked Questions

Q:   I have a painting or a print in my possession that I think may be an original Degas work. Can you tell me what it is worth?

A:   No, the Degas Gallery is only an online resource for information about the life and work of Edgar Degas; we cannot authenticate works of art. If you are interested in knowing the value of the piece you have follow these steps:

   1. Establish the provenance of your piece (Where did it come from - including dates and locations of ownership.) 
   2. Contact a local art authenticator or art historian to determine the value of your piece.

Q:   I am doing a project or writing a paper on Degas. How do I cite this site as a reference?

A:   Name of Site: Degas Gallery
       Date of Posting: 23 October 2008
       Name of Author/Organization Affiliated with the Site: Templeton Reid, LLC.
       Site Address: <http://www.degasgallery.com/>.

Q:  Why did Degas paint dancers?

A:  One of the main reasons that Degas painted dancers is that he had a paramount interest in rendering movement as well as in painting pretty clothes and colors.  The opera house provided many visual attractions and differing views, from the balcony to the orchestra pit.  At the ballet Degas managed to find classical beauty along with modern realism and banality.  Degas experimented with the artificial light of the dance hall as other Impressionists experimented with the natural light of the outdoors.

Q:  Where did Degas receive his educational training?

A:  Degas attended Lycee Louis-le-Grand from 1845 to 1853.  He graduated in 1853 with a baccalaureate in literature.  He went on from there to study law for a brief period.  Later he entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and continued his studies by copying the masters. 

Q:  Where can you see the largest collection of Degas' sculptures today?

A:  The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, houses the largest collection of Degas’ wax sculptures in the world. 

Q:  Where in the United States can you see a Degas painting?

A:  There are several different locations to see Degas’s work.  The following are some of them:
Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.
Kreeger Museum in Washington D.C.
Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, New York
National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.
Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Phillips Collection in Washington D.C.
Princeton University Art Museum in Princeton, New Jersey
The Degas House in New Orleans, Louisiana