Everyone loves the French Impressionists, but how many really understand the history and rich personalities behind the movement? Who were the leaders of the group, those young up-starts who changed our way of looking and thinking about art forever? What was their raison d'être?
Ever since the 19th century, the freshness and joie de vivre of their iconic paintings has taken viewers to a gentler and more pleasant place, but this has sometimes obscured the controversy— and innovation—that the movement brought to Europe’s artistic landscape. Come join artist and educator Suzanne Tevlin as she guides you through the aesthetic, psychological, political, and technological innovations of a movement that captured the spirit of the times, as well as the imagination of artists and art lovers throughout the world.
Led by Suzanne Tevlin, who has lectured at U of T, USMC, OCAD, Parsons-Paris, Musée Ephrussi de Rothschild, and numerous other major museums in Europe and North America. A specialist in art history from the artist's point of view, she is the author of The Conspiracy of Silence; Theodore Gericault's Raft of the Medusa and the Abolitionist Movement.
January 13: Manet
Influenced by the painter and anarchist, Gustave Courbet, Manet would help bring absolute change to the deeply conservative world of Parisian art.
January 20: Monet
In our consideration of Monet we will study the evolution of the most popular idea of Impressionism. We will also see how, though often maligned in the early years, Monet became the most highly valued artist of his time.
January 27: Pissarro
Another anarchist, this time from a wealthy Caribbean family, Camille Pissarro was a mentor to many young revolutionary artists including the future Post Impressionists Paul Gauguin and Paul Cezanne.
February 3: Degas
One of the greatest psychological portraitists, Degas, like many other 19th century intellectuals and criminologists, was interested in finding connections between the physical and the psychological. Bring your smelling salts.
February 10: Renoir
The most gregarious of the Impressionists, Renoir epitomized the joie de vivre that we have come to imagine as part of everyday life during the time of Baron Haussmann and Napoleon III.
February 17: Cassatt, Morisot & Valadon
Born within a few years of each other, these three women dealt, not only with the troubles brewing in European society, but also with the new frontiers being broached by their sisters in the rapidly changing world of art.