Edgar Degas the French impressionist preferred to be called a realist. Unlike Beuys, Degas had obviously well-developed artistic skills. He was an excellent draftsman, and his ability to handle color was exceptional. Much of his work was done in pastel, but oils and charcoal were employed as well. The problem is with his ballet paintings, the beautiful ballerina works that grace so many young girl’s rooms to this day. The problem comes from the knowledge that these ballet schools were not for wealthy French families to send their daughters to, but were for poorer children who often could not be supported by their families.