How did Degas capture movement in his art?
Capturing movement was a central challenge and passion. I believed that true representation of motion required deep study of its underlying mechanics. This meant dissecting the human body, observing the subtle shifts in weight and balance, and understanding the sequence of actions. I used numerous sketches and studies from life and from photographs to analyze the complex interplay of limbs and the body's relationship to space. My goal was to show movement not as a blur, but as a series of precisely understood postures and transitions.
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