Edgar Degas was a French artist best known for his paintings, drawings, and sculptures of dancers and scenes of modern life. He was born in 1834 in Paris. Degas became associated with the Impressionism, although his style was often more structured and carefully composed than that of other Impressionist painters. Degas studied art in Paris and was strongly influenced by classical drawing and Renaissance masters. He was particularly interested in capturing movement and everyday moments, which led him to paint subjects such as ballet dancers, horse races, cafés, and theater scenes. One of his most famous paintings is The Dance Class, which shows ballet students practicing with their instructor. He also created the well-known sculpture Little Dancer of Fourteen Years. Degas often experimented with different techniques, including pastels, oil painting, printmaking, and sculpture. His careful observation of movement and modern life made him one of the most important artists of the Impressionist period.