The Book
Edgar Degas' (1834-1917), ballet dancers and late nudes constitute one of the peaks of 19th-century art. Contemporaries described Degas' nudes in terms of excited horror: "Crouching, gourd-like women fill the bathtubs... who are these women? Whores or housewives? Nobody knows." But instead of dramatising the figure's nakedness, Degas discreetly allows her to carry on with her essentially private activities, unobserved and therefore uninhibited and it is exactly this 'keyhole' depiction which has attracted so much hostile attention from his contemporaries.
The Author
Patrick Bade is a leading art historian and international guest speaker. Publications by Parkstone International include works on Beardsley, Renoir, and Rops.
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