I THOUGHT THE ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE BOOK TO BE EXCELLENT. THE COLOR RENDITION ARE OF VERY HIGH LEVEL AND I DID REALLY ENJOY THE BOOK FOR THAT REASON. BUT CONCERNING THE TEXT AND ANALYS OF THE PAINTINGS I FIND THEM VERY CONFUSING. THE MENTION OF THE TITLE OF THE PAINTINGS WERE OFTEN WRONG OR I HAD NO IDEA OF WHICH PAINTING THEY WERE REFERING TO. FOR THIS BOOK TO INDICATE THE PAGES OR THE NUMBER OF THE COLOR PLATES WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THE TEXT ANALYSIS.

Degas was obsessed with painting girls naked from behind. No, he wasn't interested in obscene poses, but in drawing the backs and buttocks of women as they washed themselves or slept in bed. He also loved watching pretty girls dancing on stage. And he loved to paint them just as much, in rehearsal and in concert. Painting in the daytime, landscapes from nature in the great outdoors--none of that was for him. In fact, he found it impossible to paint anywhere except in his dim and dusty studio. He painted similar scenes as those of Toulouse-Lautrec, but in his own style. The older Degas treated Lautrec as a sort of disciple, with patronizing benevolence. But unlike Lautrec, he led a quiet, chase life and lived to a ripe old age.

David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness"

This is a great book for any Degas fan, the color plates are absolutely gorgeous!

I love Degas, so don't get me wrong. For a book as big as it is, it's lacking. Way too much text at the expense of Degas wonderful work. It is a big book, why are there so few big reproductions in it. There could be more color images too. This would have been a great book had they made use of the size and done a better layout between text and image, as all books on artist should be. It also seems like they've left out a lot of good stuff the should have had room for. Overall, it just seems like not much thought went into the actual layout of the book.

I don't recommend it as a keeper book on Degas, however if you find a cheap copy, why not, it is Degas afterall and the reproductions do look decent.

This book is incredible! I stumbled upon it at a [local] book store and it was marked down to an incredible [price] so you can bet I snatched it right up. This book goes from his drafts up through wonderful color photoplates. It has a total history of Degas, his family etc. Wonderful! Buy this book!