Edgar Degas
There’s a quote well-known from the French artist Edgar Degas, which perfectly sums up one of the foundations of all great art, regardless of the medium.
‘Art is not what you see, but what you make others see’.
However, there’s a lesser-known quote from Degas, shared by Paul Valéryrom, which opens up the full meaning.
‘One sees as one wants to see; this is false; and this falsity constitutes art.’
Degas was disrupting the wisdom of the age, that art came from the vision of the observer. He believed this was the work of the artist. That the artist guided the observer’s interpretation. This belief is reflected in the depth and uniqueness of Degas’ work as a sculpture, painter and printmaker.
My own experience is that every great artist I have known or studied has a similar approach to their work, regardless of their genre. They strive to open another person’s eyes/ears. To take them on a journey. To open new up vistas, feelings and possibilities, direct from the artist to the observer.
Maybe this is why all great art touches us?
Find out more about Edgar Degas below
Britannica’s biography of Degas.
The dedicated Edgar Degas website.
Degas’ work on Art net.
Image credit: Harvard Art Museum/Fogg Museum, Richard and Ronay Menschel Fund for the Acquisition of Photographs.