Paris Art Scene
Paris Art Scene
Princess Eudocia Ivanovna Galitzine as Flora,
1799, Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun.
Ariadne Abandoned by Theseus, 1774, Angelica
Kauffman.
Portrait of Madame de Verninac, 1799,
Jaques-Louis David.
Before Monet, art was based upon conformity. In France, artistic success was dictated by the Academy of Fine Arts.
"The motif is insignificant for me; what I want to represent is what lies between the motif and me."
~Claude Monet, 1866
Portraits were purchased by the rich, symbolizing economic status. Most art was religious or idealistic. Everyday life or landscapes were uncommon artwork.
The Salon was the largest art show in the western world between 1748 and 1890. Shows were held by the Academie des Beaux-Arts.
Le Salon Carre, 1861, Giuseppe Castiglione.
"The members of the jury have rejected me, therefore I have no talent
...I must die."
~Jules Holtzapffel, artist rejected by Salon, written in suicide note, 1866
Header Images: "Impression Sunrise", 1872, Claude Monet; "Water Lillies", 1906, Claude Monet; "Woman with a Parasol - Madame Monet and Her Son", 1875, Claude Monet; "The Cliff Walk at Pourville", 1882, Claude Monet.