Jean Sutherland Boggs

Of all the impressionist painters who sought ways to represent and express the modern world, only Degas was consistently attracted to the world of horses and jockeys. He was captivated by the beauty, power, and grace of the horse in much the same way that he was fascinated by the agility of ballet dancers. This beautiful book, the catalogue of an exhibition at the National Gallery of Art, discusses in detail the importance of the horse in Degas' work and includes reproductions of more than 120 of Degas' paintings, drawings, pastels, prints, and sculpture relating to the horse and racing.

This volume is a catalog published in conjunction with a 2005 exhibition organized by the Harvard University Art Museums. Co-author Cohn offers a historical account of the unusually deep collection of Degas's works at the Fogg (it's one of the most important in the United States); and art historian Boggs writes of her experiences as a student (beginning in 1944) with Paul J. Sachs, Degas's champion at the Fogg and the man who inspired her own and many others' scholarship. The catalog contains 53 color and 41 b&w plates showcasing the museum's paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, and sculptures.