Usually associated with the birth of the Impressionist movement in mid-19th century Paris, Edgar Degas (1834–1917) actually escaped easy categorization and developed a unique style heavily influenced by the Old Masters, the body in motion, and everyday urban life. The eldest son of a wealthy family, Degas co-founded a series of "Impressionist" art exhibitions but soon distanced himself from the group, seeking a more realistic approach. His subjects focused on the crowded, noisy streets of Paris, as well as its entertainments, such as horse races, cabarets, and most notably, ballet. With often ambitious, unconventional angles, his images of ballerinas numbered around 1,500 works, all deeply invested in the naturalness and discipline of dance. Through illustrations such as Foyer de la Danse (1872) and Musicians in the Orchestra (1872), this book provides an essential overview of the artist who created a category entirely his own, a world of classical perception, daring compositions, and endless fascination with movement, which together produced some of the most striking and influential works of the era.