How did the Franco-German War affect Edgar Degas?

The Franco-German War (1870–1871) significantly impacted Edgar Degas’s life and career in several ways:

• Military Service: During the siege of Paris, Degas enlisted in the National Guard to help defend the city.1
• Interruption of Artistic Plans: The war interrupted the efforts of a group of avant-garde artists—including Degas, Claude Monet, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir—to organize an independent exhibition outside of the state-sponsored Salon. During this conflict, their colleague Frédéric Bazille was killed in battle.2
• Travel to New Orleans: Following the war and the subsequent Commune of Paris, Degas left France in 1872 for a long visit to his relatives in New Orleans. During this period, he experimented with family portraiture, notably producing Cotton Office at New Orleans.1
• Health Concerns: It was during this same post-war period that Degas began to report a deterioration in his eyesight, specifically noting an intolerance to bright light.1