Impressionism: Art, Leisure, and Parisian Society [Hardcover]

Professor Robert L. Herbert et al. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 10, 1988

Examines the use of cafes, opera houses, dance halls, theaters, racetracks, and the seaside in impressionist French paintings.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After Baron Haussmann remodeled Paris in the 1850s and '60s, the city's clear perspectivesbroad streets and vast squares, cafes and theatersbecame the raw material for paintings by Manet, Degas, Renoir, Morisot, Monet and Caillebotte. This provocative rewarding study starts with that architectural premise, then goes on to consider individual Impressionists in the context of the social forces that shaped their art. Renoir, a working-class boy who climbed out of poverty by aspiring to a life of ease, conjured up a fleshy Arcadia that reflected city-dwellers' longing for social harmony; his sin, according to Yale art-history professor Herbert, was self-delusion. Degas infused painting with caricature, unmasking upper-class hypocrisy. Picture after picture is given a fresh, often unexpected reading, and the 320 plates (two-thirds in color) are deftly interwoven with the sprightly narrative. The study is a visual and intellectual feast. BOMC alternate.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Herbert's revisionist approach to Impressionism shows how the transformation of the Parisian life-style during the third quarter of the 19th century influenced the style and, more importantly, the subjects of Impressionist painters. As broad, tree-lined boulevards and large parks filled the city with air and light, leisure became a prime concern. The various forms of entertainment that developedcafes-concerts, ballet, horseracing, picnicking, boatingconsequently became the focus of Impressionist paintings. This extremely scholarly yet eminently readable text thoroughly integrates Impressionism with its time, making us view this marvelous art with fresh insight. An exciting book for all libraries. Lynell A. Morr, John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art Lib., Sarasota, Fla.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 312 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press; First edition. edition (September 10, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300042620
• ISBN-13: 978-0300042627
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 10.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #435,769 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lively Art History, February 17, 2004

By 

Stefanie N (Schuyler, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Impressionism: Art, Leisure, and Parisian Society (Paperback)

I taught college level painting and art history courses for ten years. This is one of the most memorable books I used as source material. Usually a treatment of Impressionism will write of it as a movement in response to the paintings of the Academy; an inquiry into the play of light and instantaneity. Fine, fine, but how many books do we really need that say the same thing ? This book looks at changes in the architecture of Paris which changed the city from a network of villages into a web of wide boulevards and massive, sometimes monotonous buildings. People (many of them young) were moving into the city and feeling the displacement and dehumanization which we usually associate with depictions of Victorian era London.

Herbert spends a good bit of time looking at the clothing of individuals portrayed in paintings to ruminate about their social standing. His keen eye for gesture picks up a lot. Looking at an outdoor cafe scene by Manet, he notices that the young man at the table with a woman is actually kneeling next to her, not seated there. From this he infers that the man is trying to pick up the jeune fille. The rather prudish look on her face seems to confirm that this is what's happening.

The copious illustrations are wonderful. Many are of paintings which are infrequently reproduced in art books. There are also a lot of works by Gustave Caillebotte whose compositions are so fascinating. The writing is lively. I think this is a terrific book for a lover of Impressionism and/or a lover of Paris. It's a wonderful fusion of images and prose. I'm just so glad to find it available at such a reasonable price.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy Impressionism, July 14, 2001

By 

Alishya Kovalevych "alishya" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Impressionism: Art, Leisure, and Parisian Society (Paperback)

I must say that I've read quite a few Impressionist books in recent years. In no way do they come close to the entertainment and ease which I found in this book! As I began to read it, more for pleasure than anything else, I found that I was actually interested enough to continue reading it until the end! There was no overtly boring or tedious sections to the book and the full page photos only helped to enliven my imagination. An excellent read and an easy study!

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Impressionism, Art,, Leisure, and the Parisian Society, December 28, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Impressionism: Art, Leisure, and Parisian Society (Paperback)

This was one of the most informative books I have read on the subject of Impressionism. I found the writing easy to follow and Mr.Herbert's command of his subject matter is fantastic. The narrative was so that one could grasp the concepts and his writing style was a delight. If I were to rate this, it would be at the very top of my list of recommended reading, not only for artists or historians, but for anyone interested in the subject.