Edgar Degas exhibition coming to Burrell Collection, Glasgow

Discovering Degas: Collecting in the Time of Sir William Burrell is the first, major exhibition to be held at the museum since it reopened in 2022, after a £68 million refurbishment.

Staged by Glasgow Life, the charity that leads on culture and sport in the city, the exhibition will explore the collecting and buying of Degas artworks by Sir William Burrell and his wife Constance, Lady Burrell, who donated one of the single greatest gifts to the city of Glasgow.

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Visitors will be able to view every Degas work acquired by Burrell, together with two additional Degas works from the wider Glasgow Museums Collections. This includes the first Degas painting bought by Burrell which is still in the collection, Woman Looking Through Field Glasses, c.1869.

Also on show is Vincent van Gogh’s portrait of Glasgow art dealer, Alexander Reid, which provides some historical context to the collecting of Degas works by other British collectors at this time. Discovering Degas also explores the British reaction to Impressionism during the 1880s though the display of the renowned and controversial Degas work L’Absinthe, on loan from Musée d’Orsay, Paris.

The exhibition goes on to explore Degas’ fascination with the ballet, with colourful works on paper and intricate bronze sculptures, including the striking works The Red Ballet Skirts (c.1900),  Grande Arabesque, First Time (c.1885-90), and loans from National Galleries Scotland including the  vivid, late painting, Before the Performance (c. 1896-1898), as well as studies for The Fourteen Year Old Dancer (c.1878), the only sculpture exhibited by the artist in his lifetime.

Jockeys in the rain (Image: CSG CIC Glasgow Museums and Libraries Collection)

Among the show’s main attractions are studies of racehorses and jockeys, including Jockeys in the Rain (1883-1886) and exceptional loans from The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham of Jockeys Before the Race (1879) and a bronze sculpture of a Horse Trotting, modelled by Degas in the early 1870s, and cast by the Hebrard Foundry Paris, 1919-21.

Pippa Stephenson-Sit, Curator of European Art at Glasgow Life Museums, who co-curated the exhibition, said: “Discovering Degas has been an absolute joy to work on. Degas is one of the finest artists the world has ever seen and one of the founding artists of the Impressionist group.

“He was very fond of Britain and travelled here several times. He cultivated relationships and recognised opportunities for selling his work to British art collectors, who were beginning to develop a taste for modern French art. Sir William had a keen eye for his artworks and collected them for about forty years.

“From modern Parisian life, to horse-racing, to ballet scenes, Degas tirelessly tackled a number of fascinating topics in a way that was entirely his own. His artworks remain extremely popular today, particularly his ballet scenes, but we hope this exhibition offers a chance to learn something new about an intriguing, immensely talented artist. This is a unique opportunity to view stunning art, to share the strength of Burrell’s legacy, and provide new ways for visitors to engage with our incredible collection.

“We are indebted to the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund and the many national and international collections who have loaned significant works, enabling The Burrell to host what promises to be a must-see show this summer.”

Professor Frances Fowle, Senior Trustee, Sir William Burrell Trust, said: “Degas’ work appealed to collectors like Sir William Burrell due to his skilful drawing, as well as his interest in portraying figures in movement. He was extraordinarily modern in his approach, working in a variety of media, adopting unexpected viewpoints and experimenting with bold colours and unusual light effects.

“This exhibition demonstrates the whole range of the artist’s output and creates a context for Burrell’s outstanding collection. Among those who developed a taste for Degas were other Glasgow shipbuilders like William McInnes, and several women, among them the yachting enthusiast Elizabeth Workman and the musician Rosalind Maitland.”

Sophia Weston, Deputy Chair of the Garfield Weston Foundation, said: “Discovering Degas offers a wonderful opportunity for visitors to enjoy over seventy paintings, sculptures and works on paper by this hugely popular artist, 135 years since his work was first displayed in Scotland.

"The Weston Loan Programme helps museums and galleries to create ambitious exhibitions through the bringing together of important loans, so we are thrilled to support this exciting show in Glasgow.”

Discovering Degas: Collecting in the Time of WIlliam Burrell opens on Friday May 24 and runs until Monday September 30. Tickets are available here.