The impressionists liked to portray real people, doing ordinary, everyday things. The work of Degas, for example, shows women trying on hats, waitresses serving drinks, and laundresses. Aat work. Degas is most famous for his paintings of ballet dancers. DHegas was influenced by Eighteen18th Century printmakers such as hHiroge. Degas' work shows a sturdy sense of form and strength of line.