Renowned for his pastel drawings and oil paintings, Edgar Degas was born in Paris in 1834. He was an Impressionist artist and more than half his works focus on dance. Because of this, Degas is closely linked to the subject.

Degas preferred to be noted as a realist, and was quite skilled at depicting movement in his paintings. He is also known for painting racehorses and portraits. While in his twenties, Degas recreated select works of Michelangelo, Raphael, and other Renaissance artists.

 Some of his most famous works include The Ballet Class (1874), The Orchestra at the Opera (1873), and The Millinery Shop (1884-1890).