Exhibition on Screen: Degas - Passion for Perfection (Encore)

Directed by David Birkenstaff

Exhibition on Screen journeys from the streets of Paris to the heart of a superb exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge—home of the most extensive collection of Degas’ works in Britain. With exclusive access to view rare and diverse works, this film tells a fascinating story of Degas’ pursuit of perfecting his craft through both experimenting with new techniques, as well as incorporating the lessons learned from his study of past masters.

Sometimes frustrated by his own failings and inhibited by failing eyesight, his determination to capture everyday life was nonetheless evident in every mark he made. Degas’ obsessive perfectionism is illustrated by the fact that he kept many of his drawings and sculptures hidden during his lifetime—deeming them unworthy of public view. Thankfully, this film brings these brilliant pieces of art out into the open.

Using written accounts of friends and commentators, as well as the narration of letters written by Degas himself, a more nuanced truth behind one of the most influential French artists of the late 19th-century is revealed in this film, offering a window into the complexity of a brilliant artist. “Art is not a matter of what you see, but what you make other people see.”- Edgar Degas

85 minutes