- Edgar Degas was a French artist who painted in the Impressionist style, though he considered himself a realist as his paintings depicted more common subjects with realistic details. - He was fascinated by movement and often painted ballet dancers, racehorses, and scenes from the Paris Opera House where he spent much of his time. - Later in life, Degas experienced vision problems which resulted in his paintings having less detail. He produced over 2,000 paintings in his lifetime.