In our beginnings, Fantin, Whistler and I were all on the same road, the road from Holland [Dutch 17th century painters]

Quote of Degas, later recalled by Paul Poujaud (written in his letter to Marcel Guérin, 11 July 1936); as quoted by Colin B. Bailey, in The Annenberg Collection: Masterpieces of Impressionism and Post-impressionism, publish. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2009, p. 54

Degas is recalling his early works of the 1860's