In this photograph taken in 1895 Edgar looks very much the grumpy old man he is in the novel ‘Mrs. His other favorite subjects include lively Paris cafés and horses (races) at Longchamps. As romantic as the paintings may look, in reality it was a harsh world filled with abuse, jealousy and wealthy men without honorable intentions.Įdgar mostly painted indoors, unlike his fellow impressionists he rarely painted landscapes. 1879īack home Paris Edgar started painting with gusto and never stopped. Nowadays he is known first and foremost for his famous paintings of the ‘petit rats’, the young Parisian ballet dancers. He never got married and never saw Estelle again. Edgar supported Estelle and the children financially. When brother René left Estelle for another woman some time later the brothers did fall out. There was no happy ending, Edgar did not seduce her while in New Orleans, and returned to Paris in 1873, alone. Even though she has turned blind at a young age, she still arranges flowers in her home (above). O f course Edgar painted his beloved cousin Estelle during his stay. One of many, because in 1873 New Orleans was dealing with the aftermath of the Civil War. Edgar painted the firm offices only months before it went bankrupt. Together with his other brother Achille Degas and his father in law he managed the Degas-Musson cotton firm.
René and his large extended family lived in an elegant Southern mansion. In 1872 Edgar went to stay with René and Estelle and their children in New Orleans for several months. René checks cotton prices in the paper, his father in law checks the cotton.Įdgar and René did not fall out over this however.
In 1865 René took Estelle and her mother and sister back to New Orleans, married Estelle and started working for his late mother’s family’s cotton firm Degas-Musson. René, his charming and philandering brother was less respectful and started to persue her. But Estelle was in mourning over the loss of her husband. Edgar Degas, selfportrait, aged 23Įdgar, the shy young painter, fell in love with his cousin. They stayed with their cousin Edgar, whose deceased mother was their aunt. She fled the war in New Orleans and travelled to Paris with her young baby, mother and sister. Estelle was a 19 years old and had just lost her husband in the American Civil War.
Lets put Estelle’s former home on the bucket list for now! Estelle Degas, 1871Įstelle Musson Balfour (1843-1909) and Edgar Degas met for the first time in 1863. And as a young painter who lost his one and only love Estelle to his charming brother René. As the son of a wealthy French businessman and his American wife. But in the recently published novel ‘Mrs Degas’ Edgar comes to life as a person. Hearing the name of Edgar Degas, we all think of paintings of Parisian ballet dancers.
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