Depictions of »modern life«, painting outdoors, light and color as the ultimate in painting: the artists who later became famous as Impressionists were looking for new approaches to art. They considered academic painting to be outdated and social upheavals demanded new art. Led by Claude Monet, a small group of artists succeeded in organizing an exhibition on their own, which in retrospect is seen as the beginning of modern art. In reality, the exhibition of the Société anonyme des artistes peintres, sculpteurs, graveurs, etc., which was pejoratively described as Impressionist in one review, was not a success. From April 15, 1874, it was on display for a month in the studio of the famous photographer Nadar at 35 Boulevard des Capucines. The artworks hardly attracted any visitors, who mainly flocked to the now established Salon des Refusés, which regularly attracted scandals. But the artists persevered, and by 1886 they had opened seven more Impressionist exhibitions – one of the most influential and famous art movements of all. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first exhibition, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. is presenting Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment, featuring approximately 130 works of art from the period, on view from September 8, 2024 to January 19, 2025.
31 artists exhibited at the now famous presentation, including Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley and Paul Cézanne. The exhibition aims to present an overall picture of Impressionism that includes famous names as well as lesser-known contemporaries. The show was created in collaboration with the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, where it has already been on display this year. In the USA, the exhibition, which is described as historic, is only stopping in Washington, D.C.
