Degas & Cassatt - by Salva Rubio (Hardcover)

About the Book

One of the founders of the Impressionist movement while also one of its most ruthless critics, too bohemian for the bourgeois and too bourgeois for the artists, Edgar Degas was a man of paradoxes. A loner, he only loved one woman without ever courting her, the American painter Mary Cassatt whom we follow closely as well. And it is in the company of the latter that at the twilight of his life, Efa and Rubio open the pages of Degas's notebooks to try to unravel the mystery of this genius steeped in contradictions.

Book Synopsis

One of the founders of the Impressionist movement while also one of its most ruthless critics, too bohemian for the bourgeois and too bourgeois for the artists, Edgar Degas was a man of paradoxes. A loner, he only loved one woman without ever courting her, the American painter Mary Cassatt whom we follow closely as well. And it is in the company of the latter that at the twilight of his life, Efa and Rubio open the pages of Degas's notebooks to try to unravel the mystery of this genius steeped in contradictions.

Review Quotes

"Readers will come away with a refreshed understanding of how Degas and Cassatt led a group of iconoclasts who dreamed of novel ways to invite people from different backgrounds to engage in art." --Seattle Book Review

"Rubio's research in Degas & Cassatt gives great merit to the biography...Readers will never look at the paintings, or the artists, the same way again."--Jeff Provine, BlogCritics

"It's a wordy, thoughtful book that dives deeply into Degas's artistic impulses and driving passions, presented in mostly soft colors that somewhat mimic Degas's own work."--Andrew Wheeler, The Antick Musings of G.B.H. Hornswoggler, Gent.

"... this is a richly sophisticated work of graphical art and storytelling." --J.B. Spins

"...an inherently fascinating read from start to finish. Engaging and memorable." --Midwest Book Review

"...the writing is insightful and well considered, while the art is thoughtful and sparkling, making for a phenomenal biography." --The Slings and Arrows

"It is an enjoyable way to learn about artists and art history." --Sequential Tart

"The art world in 19th century Paris must have been a lively place, if the graphic novel Degas and Cassatt is any indication." --The Arts Stl

"This clear-eyed and holistic vision of a leading light of impressionism should appeal to art history buffs." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

EFA is a pen name for Ricard Fernandez, a Spanish artist who left school at 16 to pursue his dream of being in comics. He has since published quite a few graphic novels and series. He also did the art for the superb Monet and Django (Reinhardt) biographies (NBM). Salva Rubio, is a Spanish writer specialized in history. With a master's degree in scriptwriting, he has been involved in many documentaries, short and feature length films. He also wrote the Monet and Django (Reinhardt) biographies with Efa (NBM).