The Judgement of Paris: The Revolutionary Decade the Gave the World Impressionism

Ross King

Meeting: March 23 @ 6-7:30 PM

Summary: The Judgment of Paris: The Revolutionary Decade that Gave the World Impressionism chronicles the dramatic decade between two famous exhibitions—the scandalous Salon des Refuses in 1863 and the first Impressionist showing in 1874—set against the rise and dramatic fall of Napoleon III and the Second Empire after the Franco-Prussian War. A tale of many artists, it revolves around the lives of two, described as "the two poles of art"—Ernest Meissonier, the most famous and successful painter of the 19th century, hailed for his precision and devotion to history; and Edouard Manet, reviled in his time, who nonetheless heralded the most radical change in the history of art since the Renaissance. Out of the fascinating story of their parallel lives, illuminated by their legendary supporters and critics—Zola, Delacroix, Courbet, Baudelaire, Whistler, Monet, Hugo, Degas, and many more—Ross King shows that their contest was not just about Art, it was about competing visions of a rapidly changing world.

About Art Book Club: We meet monthly at Kelly-McKenna Gallery to discuss all topics art, art history, and design.