Review: Art + Paris Impressionists and Post-Impressionists: The Ultimate Guide to Artists, Paintings and Places in Paris and Normandy (Art & City) [Paperback]

The Ultimate Guide to Impressionist Paris

In 19th-century Paris, a group of avant-garde artists stood up to the establishment and started a cultural revolution. Today, they’re known as the Impressionists. See Paris through the eyes of these revolutionary artists.

Step into the revolutionary lives of the Impressionists with Art+Paris, the most comprehensive guidebook to
Impressionism for the armchair traveler, lovers of Paris, and educators alike.

Illustrated with hundreds of beautiful, full-color photos and maps. this unique guide combines an introduction to late 19th-century art history with reproductions of famous Impressionist masterpieces, walking tours and detailed listings of the city’s art-related sites.

Art + Paris creates a vivid portrait of life in the 19th century and brings the reader along for the ride through four sections:

> A complete background course on Impressionism covering the dramatic lives of the artists and
the group’s struggle to be recognized by the establishment in comprehensive biographies and
engaging essays recounting their battle with the Salon.

> Illustrated listings of 150 must-see Impressionist paintings in Paris with the stories behind the art.

> Easy-to-follow tours that bring the reader into the streets of Paris to explore the places where the artists
lived, fell in love, found inspiration and placed their easels to paint these famous works.

> An extended-travel journey through the French countryside, exploring Normandy and the quaint
Paris suburbs where the artists learned to paint en plein air, out in the open air.

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: Museyon Guides (July 19, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0982232098
• ISBN-13: 978-0982232095

Product Description

 

Art+Paris goes far beyond the usual guidebook, combining a crash-course in art appreciation with dramatic, expert-written biographies of eight Impressionist artists and comprehensive listings of the most important, museums, galleries and historical sites that Paris has to offer. With this book reader will see Paris through the eyes of the Impressionists and their followers. From the Musée d'Orsay to the seedy cabarets of Pigalle, Art+Paris: Impressionists uncovers the places that inspired Manet, Degas and Van Gogh. Want to dig even deeper? Then travel beyond Paris to the suburbs and Normandy to find the scenic villages painted by Monet, Renoir and Cézanne. Intended for tourists and local art lovers alike, this must-have guide to contemporary art is filled with over 500 full color paintings, 300 photos and 17 maps.


My Review


I wish I had read this book before I visited Paris a few years ago.  This is a gorgeously illustrated book.  And it is packed full of fascinating information. 

It is divided into several sections:

• What is impressionism?
• Impressionists
• How the impressionists broke from the salon.
• Impressionist Exhibitions
• Museum Tours / 150 Paintings
• Paris Walking Tours
• North of Paris and Normandy

The Impressionist that are covered in this book are:   Manet, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Degas, Morisot, Caillebotte and van Gogh.  There is a biography of each impressionist artist and illustrations of their greatest works.  

The major museums of Paris are explored including which impressionist works of art are featured there.  For example, The Louvre houses pieces by Renoir, Degas and Monet.

There is a wonderful section on Paris Walking Tours.  I really enjoyed the walking tour named Islands, as I have walked that area extensively.  Next time I will be sure to have this book with me as it would have provided much more insight.  Both Renior and Monet painted the Pont Neuf.

I highly recommend this book for art lovers and travelers to Paris alike.