Degas' Father Listening to Lorenzo Pagans Playing the Guitar 1870

Edgar Degas made this oil painting of his father listening to the guitarist Lorenzo Pagans sometime in the 1860s or 70s. It suggests a moment of intimacy and quiet appreciation of the arts within the Degas family circle. The painting reflects the cultural milieu of 19th-century bourgeois society in France, where artistic patronage and musical soirees were common social activities. Degas, although part of the Impressionist circle, came from an upper-middle-class background that valued the arts and intellectual pursuits. The presence of his father, a banker with artistic tastes, underscores the role of family and personal relationships in the artist's life and work. To understand this painting better, we can look into the social history of music and art patronage during the Second Empire and early Third Republic, using sources such as letters, diaries, and period accounts. The work offers insight into the cultural values of Degas' social class and the institutional support that enabled artists like him to thrive.