Synopsis “ DEGAS " WGA # 784903
ACT I
Artists, writers and intellectuals gather daily to meet at the Cafe Guerbois and later Cafe Novelle-Athene to discuss the events in Paris in the early 1870s. They have their routine of sitting in the same seats, arguing, joking and drinking beer. Dapper EDOUARD MANET and the talented witty intellectual EDGAR DEGAS are frequently arguing over the merits of displaying their paintings in the Salon. SALON JURORS decide whether the art is good enough to be accepted or rejected. Both Manet and Degas have successfully had their paintings admitted to the Salon where Manet seeks medals and Degas now questions the competence of the jurors and considers the possibility of breaking away from the Salon entirely. It was in these Cafes that the Impressionist Group was formed to independently display their art without interference from the jurors. (Plot point 1) It was agreed that no artist could display their art with the Impressionists Group if they submitted their art to the Salon. Manet prefers to stay with the Salon while Degas is joined by MONET, RENOIR, MORRISOT, CEZANNE, PISSARO and others to organize the First Impressionist Exhibition.
ACT II
The First Impressionists Exhibition lost money. Edgar Degas is the motivating force in trying to keep this group of artists together. He has to deal with replacing artists who defect by returning to the Salon. Edgar invites an American artist MARY CASSATT to join the Impressionists in time for the Fourth Exhibition which was very successful. PAUL GAUGUIN eventually joins group as does SISLEY, SEURAT and others. Edgar Degas becomes the mentor for Mary Cassatt whose art improves under Degas' influence. Degas' art commands high prices and is in great demand and life seems fine until Degas complains about his failing eyesight. The DOCTOR confirms that the deterioration will continue and Degas will eventually be blind. (Plot point 2.)
ACT III
Mary Cassett asks. What will you do? Degas replies, "If Beethoven could write music while deaf, I will learn to paint while blind." Degas knows his time in limited and oil paint takes too long to dry so he switches to pastels to be more productive. His last pastels let us see how blind he has become. Sculpture is next and Degas achieves a major breakthrough with "Little Dancer Age 14". By the time he is totally blind he has coined the word "Realism" to describe his art and has left us with hundreds of paintings documenting life as it was in the late nineteenth century in Paris. Subjects include, life in the cafes, whorehouses, at the races, the ballet, the opera, nude studies, laundresses, portraits, at the milliners, the circus, the beach to name a few. The Impressionists as a group revolutionized art. Edgar Degas the "Realist" in that group was their leader, the master, and recognized by his peers as changing the direction of art forever. The Degas painting "L'Absinthe" is perfection in "Realism" as spectators stand in awe trying to determine what is the story of this woman in the painting that the master has captured on canvas.
END
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