Impressionism: Origins, Practice, Reception

World of Art

by Belinda Thomson

During the 1870s and 1880s, a loose group of French artists, including Pissarro, Monet, and Renoir, adopted a style of painting and subject matter that challenged the art prompted by the Academie Francaise and the Salons where "official" assumptions about the meaning of painting prevailed. What has been called "the revolutionary nature of the Impressionist enterprise" emerged from political radicalism, belief in science and individualism, and a view of art true to modern life and to immediate visual perception. In all these respects, Impressionism initiated the radical tendencies of modern art. Today the revolutionary aims of Impressionist artists are generally overlooked. Impressionist art has been marketed more successfully than any other the price of Impressionist paintings surpasses that of the Old Masters, exhibitions draw blockbuster crowds, and books and mass reproductions are ubiquitous. In her perceptive new survey, Belinda Thomson challenges both sentimentalized and simplistic views of Impressionism. Drawing upon recently discovered documents--critical reviews and letters between artists, writers, and dealers--she illuminates the thinking and the personal lives of the artists themselves, examining the factors and experiences that allowed Impressionism to develop when it did. She investigates the family background of the Impressionists, the importance of the art market and collecting, and the influence of the critical reception to their exhibitions. 250 illustrations, 200 in color.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Art History

288 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1988

Reviews

[Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never did I think I'd read an entire textbook dedicated to a study of art, but, wow, this was an incredibly perceptive, well-written, and engaging read that not only relayed the misunderstood Impressionist movement, but the socio-historical roots of its painters and their time. Incredible!!

[Maritza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally got around to finishing this book. I've always had a special fondness for impressionism but I've never really read a book about it. The tone for this book was informational and interesting and even unbiased towards the artists ( which is rare to find I think) so I really liked that you got a sense of what they were struggling with. Thomson really broke down all the cliches you hear about: "the typical artist that is misunderstood"



-->Instead your take away is well rounded - they dealt with a lot of shit but there was also good stuff too

Really liked it, recommend it as a first read on impressionism!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a textbook for my French Impressionism class, and it really was a nice overview of the whole movement. Easy and quick to read, and it has tons of illustrations in it.

[Michael Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful for university

[Clau Ferrando]

interesante x2

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good survey of the backgrounds and careers of the greats of the impressionist period, with lots of color illustrations.