Edgar Degas: The Private Impressionist

The great French artist Edgar Degas (1834-1917) once said, “I would like to be illustrious and unknown.” To a large degree, his wish has been granted. By the time of Degas' death, more than 100 years ago, his art had become famous; his reputation since then has only grown. Yet the individual who was so accomplished in many artistic endeavors – from drawing, painting, and printmaking to sculpture and photography – has remained elusive.

Degas was the keenest artistic observer of human nature since Rembrandt. And, although often aloof to strangers, Degas shared warmth and loyalty with his family as well as with a wide circle of friends, which included some of the greatest writers and artists of the epoch.

The works by Degas in this exhibition consist of 24 drawings, 21 prints, eight photographs, three monotypes, one sculpture, one printing plate, and a letter, all from a single private collection. The collection endeavors to illuminate the background and personality of Edgar Degas the man, as well as to present his genius as an artist. The subject matter of these works by Degas is often quite personal. In addition to three rare self-portraits, the collection includes depictions of his father, his brother Achille, an Italian niece, his loyal housekeeper Sabine Neyt, and the wife of a patron, Madame Ernest May; three portraits of Edouard Manet and two of Mary Cassatt; and drawings after antique sculpture and Old Masters such as Mantegna and Michelangelo. Works touch upon three notable themes of Degas' oeuvre: the human body, horse racing, and ballet. Also included is a group of brilliant color photogravures after Degas monotypes by Maurice Potin, which were commissioned shortly after the artist's death by the owner of the original monotypes, Degas' friend and dealer, Ambroise Vollard.

An additional selection of more than 40 rare works of art on paper enriches the exhibition. These pieces are by well-known artists, many of whom were friends of Degas, including Giovanni Baldini, Mary Cassatt, Paul Cezanne, Marcellin Desboutin, Jean-Hippolyte Flandrin, Jean-Leon Gerome, Jean-Auguste Dominique Ingres, Alphonse Legros, Adolph von Menzel, Gustave Moreau, Henri Regnault, William Rothenstein, Alfred Stevens, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Joseph-Gabriel Tourny. The exhibition is further enhanced by several drawings by Pierre-Georges Jeanniot, one of Degas' closest friends during the final decades of his life. The group of Jeanniot drawings comprises portraits of the sculptor Albert Bartholome and Degas' younger disciple Jean-Louis Forain, three self-portraits, and two exceedingly rare portraits of Degas himself, who was famous for his reluctance to pose.

All the compelling works in this exhibition come from the private collection of Robert Flynn Johnson, Curator Emeritus of the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. These works have never before been exhibited together publicly and provide a delightful exploration into the art and personality of one of the most skilled, intelligent, and complex artists in the history of art. 

Johnson will deliver an exhibition lecture on January 21 at The Four Arts in which he will discuss his admiration for Edgar Degas and his circle, and his own 40-year pursuit of their works as a collector. 

The exhibition was organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, CA, in association with Denenberg Fine Arts, West Hollywood, CA.

The exhibition will be open Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. and Mondays and Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the exhibition entrance, walk-ins encouraged, or in advance at fourarts.org or by calling 561-655-7226. Admission is no charge for children 14 & under, and The Society of the Four Arts is a Blue Star Museum and participates in the Museums for All program, see fourarts.org for more information.

ABOUT THE SOCIETY OF THE FOUR ARTS
Since its founding in 1936, The Society of the Four Arts has offered a dynamic lineup of cultural programming, including notable speakers, concerts, films, educational programs, and art exhibitions. The campus is home to beautiful sculpture and botanical gardens, a library and children’s library, and a state-of-the-art educational facility. The Four Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity and all programs are open to the public. For more information, please visit fourarts.org. The Society of the Four Arts is located at 100 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach, FL 33480.