Princess Pauline de Metternich

1862–1864

Meets Édouard Manet

Manet introduced Degas to the circle of future Impressionists. Degas shared their rejection of the academic Salon but would not work in the open air.

1865

Debut at the Salon of 1865

The jury accepted “Scene of War in the Middle Ages”, Degas's first picture in the Salon, which attracted little attention. For the next five years he exhibited annually but sent no more history paintings.

late 1860s

The turn to modern life: racecourses, milliners, laundresses

By the late 1860s Degas had moved from history painting to an original observation of contemporary life: racecourse scenes let him paint horses and riders in a modern setting, and then he turned to women at work — milliners and laundresses.

late 1860s

Begins modelling in wax

Degas modelled small wax figures of dancers, bathers and jockeys for himself, in place of studies. He never worked in bronze or stone; he valued wax for its changeability, and his sculptor friend Bartholomé encouraged him.