Glencoe World History © 2012 Georgia Edition

Chapter 20: Mass Society and Democracy, 1870-1914

Student Web Activity

Degas

Introduction
Social trends in the mid-1800s in France are readily apparent in the works of many of the impressionist artists. The work of Edgar Degas is a good example. In this activity you will learn about impressionism and about the contribution of Degas to a new style in painting and sculpture.

Destination Title: Edgar Degas: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Note: Clicking on the link above will launch a new browser window.
Need help using your browser for this activity? Click here for tips.

Directions

  • Read the information on the Web site about Degas. Take notes as you read.
  • Click on “Life” and read the information.
  • Go back and click on “Artistic Styles.” Read the information.
  • Click on two of Degas’s paintings and review his works.

Use the information you found to answer the following questions.

1
Which master painter did Degas study under in his youth? How did this painter influence Degas’s beliefs about painting?
2
As an artist, what term did Degas prefer to be called by, and why?
3
How did the style and subjects of Degas differ from those of other impressionists?
4
How did the Dreyfus case affect Degas's life?
5
Click on two paintings and answer these questions about them: What is the setting of the painting? What impression does the painting give of life in nineteenth-century France? What social class is Degas depicting in the painting? Name one impressionist quality that is apparent in the painting.
Glencoe Online Learning CenterSocial Studies HomeProduct InfoSite MapContact Us

The McGraw-Hill CompaniesGlencoe