Depicting spontaneous movement, unusual angles and keen composition, “Dancers in Blue” by Edgar Degas (1834 – 1917) is one of many ballet paintings that make up over half of his total work. Degas is considered to be a founder of Impressionism, despite the fact that he rejected the movement’s penchant for painting outdoors and portraying natural light. An innovator in his own right, Degas completed paintings in the studio that originated as sketches of living models, strongly influencing later artists such as Picasso and Toulouse-Lautrec.