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Writing

CTyankee

(63,903 posts)

7. I believe one source referenced the Dreyfus Affair, which evidently is when Degas was

Reply to cyclonefence (Reply #2)

Sun Feb 28, 2021, 01:46 PM

Feb 2021

painting. I didn't wade into it so I stopped doing the essay for a bit.

I had also been shocked at another discovery: if you go to his paintings of ballet dancers you sometimes see well dressed, fat older men present in the rehearsal room and in the wings of the stage watching. These men of means were called abonees, or subscribers, which allowed them to watch the dancers. Some of these dancers were as young as 13. It's pretty shocking when you realize why the men are there. We do know that these girls were from poorer families and their dancing provided an economic lifeline for their families.

Since the artist incorporated these men in the scenes he painted, I do have to mention them. I did not know this beforehand...

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Hi. Can you give me some advice? [View all] CTyankee Feb 2021 OP

I didn't know that about Degas. Ocelot II Feb 2021 #1

The thing is that I love Degas work (I don't love Wagner's music). CTyankee Feb 2021 #5

I do like Wagner's music (I'm listening to "Das Rheingold" right now), Ocelot II Feb 2021 #6

But didn't the Nazis glorify Wagner very loudly and publicly? CTyankee Feb 2021 #10

They did, but that doesn't make his music less valuable; Ocelot II Feb 2021 #12

I think you conveyed the dichotomy (the beauty of his talent and the ugliness SeeingEyeRefugee Nov 2021 #22

I think it's easy to forget or ignore the deep vein of anti-Semitism cyclonefence Feb 2021 #2

I believe one source referenced the Dreyfus Affair, which evidently is when Degas was CTyankee Feb 2021 #7

Were the ballet dancers kept by these men? cyclonefence Feb 2021 #13

I am guessing that these girls were sexually exploited. CTyankee Feb 2021 #15

I agree cyclonefence Feb 2021 #18

Sadly, yes. CTyankee Mar 2021 #19

I think I'd skip it Bayard Feb 2021 #3

I don't think Michelangelo being gay would be an issue. Overlooking predation on young girls is CTyankee Feb 2021 #9

Not advice, but I read this recently about Degas: Gaugamela Feb 2021 #4

Yes, I have that source. He did paint their pain and exhaustion. And you see in his sculpture, The CTyankee Feb 2021 #8

It's no secret that artists tend to be eccentric misfits. It seems Degas' work may be closer to Gaugamela Feb 2021 #11

well, for one thing, Degas did not want to paint outdoors and said so. CTyankee Feb 2021 #14

I wish you well on your book. Sounds like a labor of love. Gaugamela Feb 2021 #16

It is. I'm old now but I love art history. working on this book keeps my mind from turning into CTyankee Feb 2021 #17

You might look at how the recent controversies over Gaughan are being Mike 03 Mar 2021 #20

I'm not that interested in Gauguin, to be honest. But I am not surprised at this discovery. CTyankee Mar 2021 #21