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Popular History At Its Best
| Customer Rating: | | By tracing the careers of two French artists in the 1860s, King manages to illuminate the motivating forces behind, and the sources beneath, transition at a crucial point in the evolution of art in the West. Almost every page is filled with information and analysis that fascinates the reader. Yet King never loses focus and never blurs the narrative of the stories of two men who never met. One, Meissonier, was a popular giant of his day - an art star. Patrons could not get enough of his work because he painted what was popular. He saw what the free market wanted and he painted it. Edouard Manet, on the other hand, was Meissonier's opposite. He painted what he wanted to paint and it was, except in the small coterie of impressionists, universally reviled because it was new and shocking. King does not overstate the irony that few today have heard of Meissonier while Manet's work became a foundation for Impressionism and the concepts upon which modern art is based. Along the way, King explains much about the French Second Empire, as well as the relationship between the artist and the public, the role of government in fostering generally accepted standards of taste, and ways in which generational events influence the world of art. If you have an interest in art, history or just enjoy a great story, you will find this book well worth your time. |
one of the best books on 19th century French painting I have read
| Customer Rating: | | King uses the lives of two painters and a wonderfully detailed historical context to present the roots and further development of Impressionism. I hate to use the term for such a densely written book, but it is an easy read. In addition, it is a useful reference book. I have dipped back into it several times to refresh my understanding of certain artists. |
Meissonier who?
| Customer Rating:  | | King chronicles the careers of two French artists, Ernest Meissonier and Edouard Manet, during the late 19th century. Meissonier, the darling of the Paris Salon (the organization that could make or break an artist's career during that time), was the most famous and highest paid painter of the day. In contrast, Manet, heralded as the father of the Impressionist movement, struggled with constant rejection by the Salon as well as the critics. Manet's popularity came later in his career and following his death while Meissonier's work has since faded into obscurity. King gives a fascinating look at the politics and history of the turbulent time period. My only criticism: while the book provided some illustrations of the paintings, there could have been more. King went into great detail about the minute details of many paintings, which was wonderful when the painting was illustrated in the book, but a bit frustrating when it was not. All in all, a good read. |
noithing changes in the art world
| Customer Rating: | I loved this book. I just got back from Paris and I am an artist so I felt right at home reading about the art world in Paris over 100 years ago. Nothing changes much in the art world. In 2008 there are exhibitions with so many restrictions and rules, the art is lost in the Museum/gallery politics. The book reads like fiction, it is a bit over researched, but I do feel completley at home visiting the M room. Good job!
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Art history as MTV
| Customer Rating: | | My husband read this, and passed it along. While I finished the book, I found slightly infuriating: Chapters are short, occasionally the book reads like a guest list at a fancy party and nothing is treated in any kind of depth. To top it al off, there are too few reproductions of the art discussed. In all, a decent view into the rise of Impressionism but, not one with great soul. |
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