In 1874, an exhibition was held in central Paris. It showcased the artwork of artists rejected by mainstream French painting culture who had opted to showcase their work irrespective of the establishment. This was the first exhibition of the Impressionists, and now 150 years later, art institutions around the world are celebrating the momentous occasion.
Auction houses are included in this celebration, including Christie’s. The British auction house is holding selling exhibitions in both London and New York between June 5 and August 30, called Impressionism: 150 years.
These anniversary events breathe life into impressionism as a new generation of audiences is introduced to the origins of the art form. Monet, Sisley, Pissaro, Degas, Renoir, and Boudian are all artists who, 150 years ago, showcased their art in Paris and are subsequently up for exhibition in the modern day.
This article is divided into two parts. Part one covers the artists Monet, Sisley, and Pissarro. This second part covers Degas, Renoir, and Boudin. The first part can be accessed here.
Claude Monet (1840-1926)⏐Impression, soleil levant (1872), 48 x 63 cm⏐Musée d'Orsay, Paris⏐This work is widely credited for being the first painting where the term “Impressionism” was used to describe it
To understand Impressionism is to understand that in the mid-to-late-1800s, the European continent was being rocked by wars, a wave of revolutions, and mass industrialization. It was against this backdrop of socio-political change that the conservative arts clung to power in the form of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, which practically controlled the French art market.
The Academy was strict about what constituted good art, and they in turn controlled the Salon de Paris, a vital event for artists to display their work to the public and art dealers. To the Academy, portraits, linear perspectives, historical subjects, and religious themes were what mattered to these judges, and anyone who did not fall under these banners was shown the door.
The Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris was once called the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture, but that version of it was abolished during the French Revolution
Claude Monet⏐Boulevard des Capucines (1873 or 1874), 80.3 x 60.3 cm⏐Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York⏐painted from the window of Nadar’s window with a different version of this painting exhibited at the 1st Impressionist exhibit.
The work of artists such as Monet focused on landscapes and everyday life. This was not welcomed by the Academy, and as such, artists were disenchanted with their chances of entering the Salon, so they gathered their funds together to establish an exhibit in 1874, which was held at the studio of famous photographer Nadar at 35 Boulevard des Capucines.
Impressionism as a concept was more than what it focused on painting. As a technique, one of its core fundamentals was painting outside, capturing the surroundings they chose; this is referred to as en plein air. Painting outdoors was paired with Impressionism’s focus on how lighting changed and affected what they painted.
Impressionists also used visual effects and the ambiance of the setting rather than the details of the setting. Critics accused the style of seeming “incomplete,” but rather, through the unique usage of short, broken brushstrokes and unmixed paints, intense colors and the illusion of movement through color vibration could be achieved.
John Singer Sargent (1856-1925)⏐Claude Monet Painting by the Edge of a Wood (1885), 54 x 64.8 cm⏐Tate Modern, London
Edgar Degas (1834-1917)⏐Étude de danseuses, charcoal, pastel, and wash on paper
Executed around 1878-1879
47 x 59 cm
Provenance:
- The artist's estate; third sale, Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 7-9 April 1919, lot 277
- Henri Cottevieille, Paris, by whom acquired at the above sale
- Galerie de l’Élysée, Paris
- Arthur Tooth & Sons, London, by whom acquired from the above on 10 March 1959
- A.D. Peters, London, by whom acquired from the above on 24 March 1959
- Anonymous sale, Sotheby's, London, 4 July 1962, lot 35
- Lord Rayne, London, by whom acquired at the above sale, and thence by descent; sale, Sotheby's, London, 8 February 2005, lot 29
- Eykyn Maclean Gallery, New York
- Acquired from the above by the present owner in 2011
Price on request
One of the strangest impressionists who attended the first exhibit 150 years ago was Edgar Degas (1834-1917). Interestingly, Degas never associated himself with being an Impressionist, instead referring to himself as a Realist.
One of the key motifs throughout Degas’ work was dancing ballerinas, very atypical for Impressionists, furthered by the fact he never worked on landscape paintings. Degas also detested the practice of painting outside, once stating:
“You know what I think of people who work out in the open. If I were the government I would have a special brigade of gendarmes to keep an eye on artists who paint landscapes from nature. Oh, I don't mean to kill anyone; just a little dose of bird-shot now and then as a warning.”
Even as he rejected Impressionist ideas, such as the spontaneity of artistic creation, his depiction of Parisian life and scenes, his usage of color and the brush, and his close association with other Impressionists, saw him fall into that category of Impressionism, most likely to his chagrin.
Edgar Degas (1834-1917)⏐Self-Portrait (1855-1856), 40.6 x 34.3 cm⏐Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Edgar Degas⏐The Dancing Class (1871), 19.7 x 27cm⏐Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York⏐exhibited at the first Impressionist exhibit in 187
Degas turned to painting primarily ballerinas, due to how well they sold. Degas was also fascinated by the movement of the ballet and how viewers of the dance interpreted that movement. However, he had poor views of the ballerinas themselves, calling them his “little monkey girls.”
Regarding the lot shown above, the style it was drawn in may have originated when a friend of his told him how to use a press to make monotype prints. Degas would then adapt the style, using the leftover ink from the first print to make a second faded one. He then used pastels and watercolors over this ghostly second print.
This style of artwork was a success, and it allowed him to utilize lighting in a new way as the softer pastel colors were highlighted against the darker inks, creating an almost smoky effect. The works below utilize charcoal but achieve the same effect.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919)⏐Portrait de fillette sur fond bleu, oil on canvas
Painted in 1890
65.9 x 54.6 cm
Provenance:
- Estate of the artist
- Galerie Barbazanges, Paris, by whom acquired from the above, circa 1923-1926
- L.C. Hodebert, Paris, by whom acquired from the above, circa 1926, until at least 1929
- Anon. sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 20 December 1934, lot 126bis
- M. Simon, by whom acquired at the above sale
- Alexandre Wolkowski, Paris
- Knoedler & Co., New York (inv. no. A1804), by whom acquired from the above in December 1936
- Roland Balay, by whom acquired from the above on 20 December 1937
- Guy Michau, Paris, before 1939, and thence by descent
- Private collection, USA, by whom acquired from the above, until at least 2001
- Simon Dickinson Ltd., London
- Acquired from the above by the present owner
Price upon request
Another of the Impressionists who broke the mold was Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919). While Renoir painted some famous scenes and landscapes, like most Impressionists, he also painted a good deal of portraits, including the lot showcased above.
Renoir’s painting style was distinct, not just for composition, using far more expressive and detailed people compared to his peers, but also for his usage of color. His subjects and the world they inhabited were bright and bold.
Additionally, he was noted for how he blended his subjects into their surroundings. Through his understanding of color, light, and brush technique, his subjects gently were blended and fused into their setting in a natural way.
A photo of Renoir taken in 1875
Pierre-Auguste Renoir⏐La Loge (1874), 80 x 63.5cm⏐Courtauld Gallery, London⏐exhibited at the first Impressionist exhibit in 1874
The painting being exhibited by Christie’s comes from the 1890s. This was following Renoir’s 1881 trip to Italy when he was inspired by classic works of art and thus began incorporating aspects of Classicism into his work.
He was then further influenced by painters such as Titian. This resulted in his works having fewer notable outlines, and thin brushes of color, which led to a level of warmth felt through his works. This became a notable trait of his work in his later years.
As Renoir aged, he developed arthritis forcing him to move to a warmer climate in southeastern France. His ability to grasp the paintbrush was also impacted by his arthritis, and he was forced to use new techniques to enable his painting. However, this did not dampen his creativity, as he would often inject color and playfulness into the portraits he drew. He passed away in 1919.
Eugène Boudin (1824-1898)⏐Vue de Villefranche (La baie des Fourmies), oil on canvas
Painted between 1890-1892
55.5 x 90 cm
Provenance:
- The artist’s estate; sale, Atelier Eugène Boudin, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 20-21 March 1899, lot 125 (510 FF)
- Private collection, France, by 1973
- Anon. sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 16 June 1999, lot 69
- Galerie Hopkins Thomas Custot, Paris
- Acquired from the above by the present owner on 15 May 2000
Price upon request
The final painter to crossover with the 1874 exhibition and the one being presented here in 2024 is Eugene Boudin (1824-1898), regarded as one of the first French landscape painters. He was a master of painting the seas and skies, with a lot of his work featuring the beach and other seaside settings, fitting as he grew up in coastal Northern France.
Following his artistic dreams, he moved to Paris, where he was mentored by Dutch painter Johan Jongkind, whose work was considered a form of proto-Impressionism. Jongkind was also a painter of the seaside, and he would encourage Boudin to paint outside.
Boudin’s artwork was full of bright hues and showed how light played on the surface of the water. This was inspired by Monet himself, as the two became friends when the latter was 18. Monet even considered Boudin his “master” when it came to art.
A photograph of Eugene Boudin taken sometime in the 1890s
Eugene Boudin⏐The Coast of Portrieux, Cotes-du-Nord (1874), 85 x 148cm⏐Private Collection⏐exhibited at the first Impressionist exhibit in 1874
Boudin’s background gave him an unparalleled understanding of the seaside. He perfectly understood how the clouds and clear skies of the coast interacted with light and how to best capture the seaside retreat.
Such understanding of these elements can be seen in the painting showcased by Christie’s. He was able to capture a perfect day on the coast, with the light shining on the water, rocks, and shrubs on the beach.
He also seemingly grasped the wind as well, with how he painted the boats and their sails in the distance. This can also be seen in the clouds and how they appear as if they are moving, a testament to his understanding of not just the weather but also brushstrokes and color vibration.