He pioneered asymmetrical framing, radical cropping, and unusual vantage points in his paintings and pastels.
Edgar Degas was a seminal figure in the development of the Impressionist style though he rejected the term in association with his work, preferring to be called a realist. From depictions of ballet dancers rehearsing to women bathing, Degas took mundane scenes of contemporary Parisian life and imbued them with psychological tension through his compositional choices. He pioneered asymmetrical framing, radical cropping, and unusual vantage points in his paintings and pastels. His sculptural talents were also prodigious though not fully recognized until later in the 20th century. Above all, Degas exhibited technical mastery in representing effects of motion, tension, and psychological detachment within carefully planned compositions. Though often overshadowed by colleagues like Monet and Renoir during his life, Degas left an indelible mark on avant-garde approaches emerging in his wake.