Edgar Degas was not yet famous, but was on the point of aesthetic and commercial success when he left Paris in the fall for his New Orleans visit of about four months, during which time he painted 22 major works. It might be said that he was having a midlife crisis at this time. He had been painting ballet and horse pictures to assist his father's failing banking business. However, he was not yet sure of himself and was searching for his identity, ready for a change. The Franco-Prussian War in 1871 had found Edgar hoping to be a sniper and volunteering for the National Guard, but something was wrong with his eyes--perhaps ophthalmia. So Edgar was ready for a break from Paris when his younger brother Rene arrived and persuaded him to visit his New Orleans relatives. Rene, who may have been the only one to recognize Edgar's genius at that time, had written home for them to "prepare a fitting reception for le Grrrande Artiste." New Orleans made quite an impression on Degas, in spite of the fact that the city was struggling to recover from the Civil War. He was fascinated with America and enjoyed the mild climate at that time of year. The Degas House, at 2306 Esplanade Avenue in New Orleans, was built during the early 1850s and is now a charming bed and breakfast resplendent with history, beautifully restored rooms and numerous reproductions of Degas' paintings.