The Impression of Fashion: Impressionism & Fashion Exhibition : 3D Gallery

Edgar Degas The Dance Class, 1874

The Dance Class by Edgar Degas is a painting that is well known and well loved by millions. Degas was so inspired by dancers and the way they moved. He painted many scenes of dancers in attempts to capture the dancer’s graceful movements, the colors of the costumes and the lighting of the scenes. “This work and its variant in the Musée d'Orsay, Paris, represent the most ambitious paintings Degas devoted to the theme of the dance. Some twenty-four women, ballerinas and their mothers, wait while a dancer executes an "attitude" for her examination.” (The Met) This painting goes behind the scenes of a dance class and we can see all the dancers in their leotards and tutus. The costumes look pristine and have the elaborate appearance that signifies a special occasion. From the quote above we can see that an examination is taking place and that the young girls are all preparing for their tests. There is light coming in from the right, along with a mirror on the left that reflects a window, so we know there is a large window on the right side letting in the light and casting highlights and shadows around the room. It is also stated that, “Jules Perrot, a famous ballet master, conducts the class.” (The Met) The dancers in the scene all seem to have personalities and character. One girl seems to be feeling shy as she is facing the wall away from others. Another is having her dress adjusted by a friend, and seems unhappy, maybe stressed. These characteristics can be interpreted by the way Degas painted their forms and expressions.

Edgar Degas; The Star, 1876-1878

The Star by Edgar Degas is a painting that showcases Degas’ appreciation for the ballet and dancer’s talent. Degas took inspiration from ballerinas and depicted them many times over the course of his career. He has a collection of scenes of dancers that capture the dancer’s graceful movements, and the details of the scene. “The painting shows the star of the show dancing a solo turn on an empty stage. Other dancers can partly be seen waiting in the wings. The ballerina is on her toes, completing an arabesque which Degas renders very precisely through the positions of arms and the one visible leg and the slight inclination of the head too.” (Web Gallery of Art) This painting is set on the night of a ballet performance and Degas chose one girl to be his subject. He has depicted this girl to be the star of the painting and the main focal point of the whole picture. There are other ballerinas in the wings, preparing to go onstage, and yet despite these other girls as possible distractions, all eyes are on the star as she steals the show. Her costume is delicate but eye catching. Degas uses soft brushes, perhaps with a flared fan brush to achieve the wispy, tulle of the tutu. The ballerina has delicate little flowers on her skirt and bodice. She is en pointe and completing an arabesque which is a skilled and impressive dance move when executed correctly. Degas captures this movement and scene beautifully and accurately.

Edouard Manet; A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, 1882

Fashion truly told stories and made statements in the 1800’s much like it does now. However, whereas back then, fabric was very important and what fabrics you wore dictated your social class, nowadays we're less concerned with fabrics but more concerned with styles. Styles in the 1880’s were important as well however, and if a woman did not comply with the most popular styles then she must be trashy, poor, unintelligent or a combination of all three. Today, we see many different styles of fashion and most are accepted even if not all are appreciated by everyone. In this image we see a summer dress from 1885, that was the height of style and would be expected to be worn in the time period. The dress was made of a cotton material that was lightweight which was necessary for the summer heat lest the women overheat. The cotton fabric which was made to be washed easier, which was a newer and more functional feature included in the dresses for women. The shape of the dress was the most fashionable of the time, “It has the fashionable bustle shape and copious trimmings but is comparatively hard-wearing, light and easy to wear. Dresses with asymmetrical drapes and inserted waistcoat effects were in fashion from 1884.” (Victoria and Albert Museum) Women were beginning to come to the realization that they did not have to suffer so horribly in the name of fashion, but the issue was beginning to be reduced. The fashion of the 1860’s-1880’s was a source of great inspiration for Impressionist painters.

Édouard Manet; Jeanne (Spring), 1881

Fashion told stories and made statements in the 1800’s much like it does now. However, whereas back then, fabric was very important and what fabrics you wore dictated your social class, nowadays we are less concerned with fabrics but more concerned with styles. Styles in the 1880’s were important as well however, not just for the women but for the men as well. Some men seem to have forgotten the importance of style these days however, there are many who still appreciate the statement their own unique styles make and work hard to contrive a style that works for them. In this image we see a cotton velveteen coat, made around 1875, that was the height of style and would be expected to be worn in the time period. The coat, “had skirts that were cut away in front. This early 1870s morning coat was known as the ‘University’ style. It is characterized by sharply angled cut-away fronts, short length and double-breasted style. The wide collar and lapels are typical of the 1870s, as is the loose sleeve.” (Victoria and Albert Museum) To be dressed well was vitally important for men as it spoke to the men’s class rank and their prestige or lack thereof. “As the frock coat became formal daywear in the 1850s, a more informal style of coat, called the morning coat was introduced.” (Victoria and Albert Museum) The morning coat would soon become the norm for men to wear rather than the formal daywear coat of the past.

Mary Stevenson Cassatt; In the Loge, 1878

This painting is an example of the upper class in the 1870’s. It is lighthearted and fun while also being detailed at the same time. “This canvas shows a stylish woman attending a daytime performance at the Comedie-Francaise, a famous theater in Paris… Cassatt has perceptively grasped the fact that the members of the well-dressed audience are putting on their own performances for one another. The main figure may be watching the stage or observing her fellow theatergoers while she herself becomes the subject of the man's gaze; meanwhile, the viewer, who is placed just beside the woman, takes in the entire scene.” (The Art Story) The woman blends into the background a bit with the coloring of her dress and the darkness of the background, however, she used form, shape and brush technique to showcase the woman’s figure more definitively. The fashion for the time period and setting where the scene takes place suggests that the woman of focus is dressed properly and fashionably. Everyone else appears to be dressed as nicely as her and in black mostly. There is a man that can be seen to the left of our woman, who is using his opera glasses to stare at her while she looks out into the crowd, adding an element of curiosity to the painting. The multiple themes occurring in the painting add depth and intrigue. Mary Cassatt managed to create a beautiful and talented piece, arguably better than many of the male impressionist artists of the time that told a story and added unique elements of fashion.

Mary Cassatt; Woman with a Pearl Necklace in a Loge, 1879

In this painting, Mary Cassatt continues on with her Loge, Opera theme. This time however, the woman with whom our attention focuses on is not in black, but a soft pink. The woman’s dress is made of an elaborate material. Cassatt conveys the dress’s ornate qualities simply by using her brush strokes, which were quick strokes without too much thought into the detail. It was commonplace for Impressionist painters to use this technique of quick and light brushstrokes. This was because the details of the shape and form were not the focal point, rather it was the use of color to demonstrate light and texture that was the ideal of Impressionist painters. Despite the light and speedy strokes, the use of color and texture gives way to an exquisite and detail-oriented dress. “This work, showing a woman (often said to be her sister Lydia) seated in front of a mirror with the balconies of the Paris Opéra House reflected behind her, demonstrates the influence of Cassatt’s friend Edgar Degas, particularly in the attention paid to the effects of artificial lighting on flesh tones.” (Google Arts and Culture) Mary Cassatt wanted to highlight the light in the scene and how it created the ambience in the room and set the tone of an elegant evening out. Cassatt was greatly inspired by Degas as well as other Impressionist artists. Many Impressionists artists were inspired by the nightlife of the late 1800’s and especially in Paris. This inspiration can be seen in a great number of Impressionist works, and specifically Mary Cassatt’s Opera and Theatre scenes.

Designer Unknown; Summer Dress, 1885

Fashion truly told stories and made statements in the 1800’s much like it does now. However, whereas back then, fabric was very important and what fabrics you wore dictated your social class, nowadays were less concerned with fabrics but more concerned with styles. Styles in the 1880’s were important as well however, and if a woman did not comply with the most popular styles then she must be trashy, poor, unintelligent or a combination of all three. Today, we see many different styles of fashion and most are accepted even if not all are appreciated by everyone. In this image we see a summer dress from 1885, that was the height of style and would be expected to be worn in the time period. The dress was made of a cotton material which was lightweight which was necessary for the summer heat lest the women overheat. The cotton fabric also made to be able to be washed easier, which was a newer and more functional feature included in the dresses for women. The shape of the dress was the most fashionable of the time, “It has the fashionable bustle shape and copious trimmings but is comparatively hard-wearing, light and easy to wear. Dresses with asymmetrical drapes and inserted waistcoat effects were in fashion from 1884.” (Victoria and Albert Museum) Women were beginning to come to the realization that they did not have to suffer so horribly in the name of fashion, which of course they still face struggles in the name of fashion, but the issue was beginning to be reduced. The fashion of the 1860’s-1880’s was a source of great inspiration for Impressionist painters.

Designer Unknown; Cotton Velveteen Coat, 1873-75

Fashion told stories and made statements in the 1800’s much like it does now. However, whereas back then, fabric was very important and what fabrics you wore dictated your social class, nowadays we are less concerned with fabrics but more concerned with styles. Styles in the 1880’s were important as well however, not just for the women but for the men as well. Some men seem to have forgotten the importance of style these days but, there are many who still appreciate the statement their own unique styles make and work hard to contrive a style that works for them. In this image we see acotton velveteen coat,made around 1875,that was the height of style and would be expected to be worn in the time period. Thecoat, “had skirts that were cut away in front. This early 1870s morning coat was known as the ‘University’ style. It is characterizedby sharply angled cut-away fronts, short length and double-breasted style. The wide collar and lapels are typical of the 1870s, as is the loose sleeve.” (Victoria and Albert Museum)To be dressed well was vitally important for men as it spoke to the men’s class rank and their prestige or lack thereof. “As the frock coat became formal daywear in the 1850s, a more informal style of coat, called the morning coat was introduced.” (Victoria and Albert Museum) The morning coat which is not visible here would soon become the norm for men to wear rather than the formal daywear coat of the past.

Exhibition Description

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Works Cited Page

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The Impression of Fashion: Impressionism & Fashion Exhibition