Edgar DEGAS Fine Art Etchings of La Famille cardinal Paris Opéra

Edgar Degas (1837-1917) was the Impressionist artist known as the observer of modern Paris life. Descended from an aristocratic family, he managed to hide his pedigree when he was behind the curtain at the Paris Opéra, sketching the young, working class ballet rats in the chorus line. As if peering through an imaginary peephole, in the 1870s he began an endless search to convey the movements and positions of dancers placed in unusual angles of vision. His close friend, writer and librettist of Carmen, Ludovic Halévy, documented back stage activity by writing a series of short story episodes gathered into one volume called La Famille Cardinal.

Degas created 33 monotypes to correspond with the adventures of Pauline and Virginie Cardinal and their audacious, controlling parents who kept a close eye on their adolescent girls, fending off the invitations of their lecherous, older admirers. Halévy, however, failed to recognize their greatness and the monotypes remained in Degas' studio until 1928 when Marcel Guérin, David Weill and publisher Auguste Blaizot formed a consortium to purchase the lot at auction. The monotypes were then reduced and reproduced by the photogravure process in 1938. They comprise the illustrations for a valuable limited edition, rare book; only 350 numbered copies exist which rarely surface at auction or in rare book shops.

The etchings are particularly important because many of the monotypes done by the hand of Degas have vanished. The etchings of La Famille Cardinal remain the only documentation of their existence. Jean Sutherland Boggs, Jean Adhémar and Françoise Cachin, Eugenia Parry Janis and John Canaday refer extensively to the etchings in their scholarly research on Degas.

Looking for some inspiration in the fine arts department? Check out the Fine Art Connection YouTube channel! Here you can find a vast array of videos focusing on many different styles and mediums of artwork. This channel is great for art lovers and aspiring artists alike who want to learn more about the world of fine art. So go ahead and hit that subscribe button to stay connected to the ever-expanding world of fine art!

♾️ Facebook (Art Page):
https://tinyurl.com/FineArtConnection

🐦 Twitter (Follow Back):
https://tinyurl.com/FineArtBiz-tweet

🖼️ Instagram:
https://tinyurl.com/FineArtIG

_______________________________________

🪙 Bitcoin:
39hdEcuvXTeNtXuQ9f8ovkNqcLw4Xitqkm

🪙 ETH:
0xC967EFC61B929ecd29075ee172C39A95001d51B2

🐶 DOGE:
DAGTRTrAS7MLRMdhhRjhTZru8SzT6a2ydw