Edgar Degas - Reluctant Rebel

Among the ranks of fed-up young artists reshaping the world of modern art was Edgar Degas. At the heart of the movement, Degas stood alone as coming from an aristocratic and wealthy family, unlike his more earthy compatriots. Yet he still managed to shock the art world by observing and painting his fellow Parisians in everyday life. His work with the female nude was particularly striking and scandalous, as he never posed his subjects as "classical artists" would. Political and socially conservative, Degas would nonetheless be branded as a rebel for his landmark works.