Kith, "acquaintances and relatives," (ME word, 1350-1400). The American Heritage Dictionary.
Degas had many friends whom he sketched and painted over the years. This
group met at Dieppe on the Normandy coast in the summer of 1885. Degas chose to paint them together but with an unusual placement, each one looking at a different direction. They were writers and artists. One, Walter Sickert, the full figure on the left, was an English artist known for his avante guard style. Degas influenced Sickert to paint indoors, and not be affected by the "tyranny of Nature."
In researching this painting, I discovered that there was an unusual reference to Walter Sickert. Patricia Cornwall, an American crime writer, was convinced through her research that Sickert was "Jack the Ripper," and wrote a book about him called, Portrait of a Killer, Jack the Ripper -- Case Closed. She spent millions of dollars to purchase some of his art, studying it closely, trying to make the case. There had been three books published previously that maintained that Sickert was Jack the Ripper. In 2004 The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography dismissed the charge as fantasy. (Wikipedia was the reference).
Degas had many friends whom he sketched and painted over the years. This
group met at Dieppe on the Normandy coast in the summer of 1885. Degas chose to paint them together but with an unusual placement, each one looking at a different direction. They were writers and artists. One, Walter Sickert, the full figure on the left, was an English artist known for his avante guard style. Degas influenced Sickert to paint indoors, and not be affected by the "tyranny of Nature."
In researching this painting, I discovered that there was an unusual reference to Walter Sickert. Patricia Cornwall, an American crime writer, was convinced through her research that Sickert was "Jack the Ripper," and wrote a book about him called, Portrait of a Killer, Jack the Ripper -- Case Closed. She spent millions of dollars to purchase some of his art, studying it closely, trying to make the case. There had been three books published previously that maintained that Sickert was Jack the Ripper. In 2004 The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography dismissed the charge as fantasy. (Wikipedia was the reference).
 |
| Edgar Degas. Six Friends of the Artist. 1885. Pastel on paper. |
Very interesting, and a great sketch (is it conte or colored pencils?) Degas was certainly competent.
ReplyDeleteThe description said he used pastels, but he could have touched up places with conte or colored pencils. Or made his initial sketch using them. Oh, he was good!
DeleteRealism. It took a gifted painter to capture this moment in time. (New follower)
ReplyDeleteThanks, "Spacer Guy." The drawing of the figures is so good. I think you have to draw really, really well and it takes years.
DeleteIt is amazing how he managed to put six people in one picture and was able to give attention to detail when it came to all of them. None of them are blurry.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Munir.
DeleteI'm fascinated by the Jack the Ripper theory. I knew Patricia Cornwell had written about about him. I didn't know she had spent millions of dollars to do so.
ReplyDeleteAs a picture this doesn't appeal to me, as a historical record it is interesting.
See, Bazzas, reply. Trying to match the paintings to the letters is a challenge. I did not read the book. Patricia Cornwell is too graphic for me. I like cozy mysteries. My imagination takes off if the scenes are too grisly.
DeleteHi Natasha. If I remember rightly Patricia Cornwell was somewhat ridiculed when she published her Ripper Theory book. I like Degas' composition,; I think his work was influenced by photography.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post!
CLICK HERE for Bazza’s fabulous Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
Thanks, Bazza. She was ridiculed, but she was so sure. And if you really studied the placement of his figures, he was influenced by photography.
DeletePS I love to be called Natasha, hardly anyone does that anymore.
DeleteI like that they are his friends not clients and that they seem quite relaxed in their poses - I love all the new art from Degas that I have not seen before. I am so enjoying the A to Z Challenge.
ReplyDeleteThanks, SENCO. I wonder what he would have thought of today's world of I Phones and the digital age?
ReplyDeleteI read that book by Cornwell, it was very interesting. Thanks for sharing this painting.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to, and have time, you can check out my K post.
Hi Lisa. You never know what you might find out (I found out). Now that we are almost half way through the alphabet, there might still be more surprises about Degas and friends.
ReplyDeleteHi Natasha ... interesting - I haven't read any Patricia Cornwell .. but Sickert here looks slightly shady - on the look out ..
ReplyDeleteDegas' setting is a strange one - and yes they are all looking in different directions aren't they .. sometime I need to find out more about Sickert .. very interesting and curious-making ... cheers Hilary