In focusing the show almost entirely on technique, the organizers of  Beyond Impressionism have followed the lead of Degas himself, who steadily eliminated from his work any reference to contemporary life, preferring an artificial world of studio props and pliable models.
Degas was praised by many art critics for detaching his work from reference to contemporary works. 
mnli hypothesis: Degas was praised by many art critics for detaching his work from reference to contemporary works.  premise: In focusing the show almost entirely on technique, the organizers of  Beyond Impressionism have followed the lead of Degas himself, who steadily eliminated from his work any reference to contemporary life, preferring an artificial world of studio props and pliable models.