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| Musée d'Orsay Wikimedia Commons |
The purpose of the Musée d'Orsay in Paris is to present art made from 1848 to 1914. Since this includes a marvelous trove of Impressionism, it has some of the world's favorite paintings.
However, Impressionism is only part of the story. The dominant modes at the time were Academicism and Realism, and these are fully covered as well.
Opened in 1986, the museum occupies the former Orsay railway station, built in 1900.
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| Ticket line for Musée d'Orsay Photo by Dan L. Smith. 2015 |
Parts of the building retain their luxe, turn-of-the-century decor.
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| Clock for original railway station Photo by Dan L. Smith, 2015 |
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| Dining room at Musée D'Orsay JLS. 2015 |
Theoretically, its scope is international, but in fact, most of the paintings were made in France, whether by French artists or those who emigrated from other countries to live in the center of the art world at that time.
Art in the 19th Century
The modern era in art may actually be said to start in the 1800s, because early in the century art made a great change from the past which built a foundation for the art of today.
After the French and American Revolutions, the art world was less dominated by royalty and aristocracy. Institutions gradually became more inclusive and educational opportunities were more widespread as the spirit of democracy flourished.
After the Industrial Revolution, especially in England and America, the world's economy grew, creating a bigger market for art and more opportunities to pursue art as a profession.
The world had seemed settled and the rules of art seemed eternal for a few centuries. In the 1800s, the way the market changed, artists felt less pressure to conform to the past. As aristocratic patronage became less important, artists began to question everything about the old ways of making art. With more art patrons, came more freedom to chose subjects and approaches for their intrinsic interest. Artists began to think of making art that gave them personal satisfaction, which may have been the most revolutionary idea of all.
Realism
Since the themes of art had largely been based on history, myth, and portraiture, in the past, art had been a studio practice. In the 1800s it occurred to some artists to use their skills to record the real world of everyday life as they experienced it. Instead of goddesses lolling on clouds, they painted peasants working in the fields. Instead of a decaying Roman temple, they painted the church down the street. Instead of a fantasy landscape, they took their paints outdoors to capture what they actually saw. This movement is known as Realism, and it opened up a whole new world for art.
Impressionism
The practice of painting outdoors caused some artists to focus on the effects of daylight. They endeavored to capture subtle effects of changing light. This got them interested in just how light effects vision. It seemed that paintings would be more like vision if brushstrokes were broken up instead of carefully blended. The idea of breaking up the brushstrokes was the beginning of the end for traditional painting.
Painting outdoors, in the fields and on the streets, some artists realized that paintings would be more like vision if they weren't so detailed and finished. An observer doesn't see every detail of a landscape with equal clarity, perfectly rendered. An observer has a fleeting impression, a sense of mood, dominated by the light quality of the scene.
Breaking up the brushstroke, moving out of doors, capturing fleeting impressions are the hallmarks of the style known as Impressionism.
Impressionism took such a wide variety of forms that it's hard to write a description comprehensive enough to include them all. Sometimes, brushstrokes were broad and simple, but most of the time they tended to be small and vibrant. Most of the work tended toward landscapes, but some Impressionists painted figures in indoor scenes. Impressionists were united by the urge to express their personal ways of looking at the world and the drive to experiment with paint.
Academic Art
Mainstream art in the 1800s was academic. The Paris Academy and other art academies continued to enshrine the Neo-classical values of the 1700s. The favored technique featured smooth, invisible brushstrokes, subtle shading, and a high degree of refinement. The favored subjects were scenes of mythology or history, or idealized nudes.
Academic art was the path to success. These artists won the most patronage and the most respect. Their level of skill was astounding. Their paintings are easy to like, but to other artists, Academic art was just the same old thing. 19th century artists introduced modernism by constantly questing for something new, which is the hallmark of 20th century painting.
Major Artists of the 19th Century
Gustave Courbet, 1819-1877
Courbet's landscapes brought a new boldness and vigor to the subject because they are based on direct observation, rather than romantic imagination.
Courbet's frank nudes still have shock power.
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| Gustave Courbet, 1819-1877 Stormy Sea, 1870 |
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| Gustave Courbet, 1819-1877 The Etretat Cliffs after the Storm, 1870 |
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| Gustave Courbet, 1819-1877 Nude Woman with Dog, c. 1862 |
Rosa Bonheur, 1822-1899
Rosa Bonheur was the greatest animal painter of the middle 1800s, when it was a very popular genre.
She painted both farm animals and wild animals, depicting each with dignity and personality.
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| Rosa Bonheur, 1822-1899 Oxen Ploughing in Nevers, 1849 |
William Bouguereau, 1825-1905
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| William Bouguereau, 1825-1905 Youth and Love, 1877 |
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| William Bouguereau, 1825-1905 The Oriades, 1902 |
Jules Breton, 1827-1906
Breton was a Realist who focused his attention on peasant life in the rural area where he lived. His intention was to show the dignity of farm work.
Breton was a Realist who focused his attention on peasant life in the rural area where he lived. His intention was to show the dignity of farm work.
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| Jules Breton, 1827-1906 Calling in the Gleaners, 1859 |
Camille Pissarro, 1830-1903
Pissarro was a landscape painter whose fresh observation and textured brushstroke strongly influenced the development of Impressionism.
Pissarro went on to make important contributions to Pointillism, a later development of Impressionism that used more systematic color and uniformly small brushstrokes.
Pissarro went on to make important contributions to Pointillism, a later development of Impressionism that used more systematic color and uniformly small brushstrokes.
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| Camillle Pissarro, 1830-1903 The Harvest at Montfoucault, 1876 |
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| Camillle Pissarro, 1830-1903 Woman in the Meadow at Eragny, 1887 |
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| Camillle Pissarro, 1830-1903 Woman Hanging Laundry, 1887 |
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| Camillle Pissarro, 1830-1903 Countryside near Eragny, 1897 Photo by Dan L. Smith, 2015 |
Édouard Manet, 1832-1883
Édouard Manet was the advance guard for painting in the mid-1800s. He produced many ground-breaking paintings as he explored one style after another.
His contemporaries constantly looked to him for inspiration.
He had a strong influence on the development of Impressionism, but he thought of himself as a Realist, in the tradition of Courbet.
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| Édouard Manet, 1832-1883 Luncheon on the Grass, 1863 |
- If you take the painting above literally, you might be scandalized by the juxtaposition of a nude woman and a partially clad woman with two fully dressed men. However, Manet was referencing a painting called Pastoral Concert, from 1509 that is nowadays generally attributed to Titian.
- In Titian's time, there was an interest in the simultaneous depictions of the visible and the invisible; thus, the nude women exist only in the imaginations of the two men they inspire. Likewise, in Manet, the men are disputing ideals of beauty, represented by imaginary female figures.
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| Titian, 1488-1576 Pastoral Concert, 1509 Louvre / Internet |
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| Édouard Manet, 1832-1883 Olympia, 1863 |
- The reclining nude is a traditional subject in art—Titian, Goya, and Ingres all did famous versions—but earlier paintings were justified as depictions of goddesses or ideals of beauty. In the painting above, Manet acknowledges that a reclining nude wearing baubles is probably a prostitute or a mistress.
- Olympia gazes directly at the viewer, putting us in the place of the lover who has just come in with a fancy bouquet, brought to her by a fully clothed black servant.
- The black woman, so hard to make out against a dark background, serves to contrast with the nude's youth and beauty, but she also calls attention to the fact that both women are servants to the implied male lover, and perhaps the almost invisible servant has more dignity than the one who is displaying herself.
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| Édouard Manet, 1832-1883 The Fifer, 1866 |
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| Édouard Manet, 1832-1883 Emile Zola, 1868 |
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| Édouard Manet, 1832-1883 Berthe Morisot with a Bouquet of Violets, 1872 |
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| Édouard Manet, 1832-1883 On the Beach, 1873 |
Edgar Degas, 1834-1917
Degas was a Realist who is frequently called an Impressionist because he was good friends with the members of that group and shared their interest in exploring modern life.
Degas started his career with remarkably traditional portraits.
Over half his work deals with dancers.
He had other themes related to ordinary women going about their lives and painted several sympathetic images of women ironing.
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| Edgar Degas, 1834-1917 Hilaire de Gas, 1857 (Grandfather) |
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| Edgar Degas, 1834-1917 The Bellelli Family, 1860s |
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| Edgar Degas, 1834-1917 The Ballet Rehearsal on Stage, 1874 |
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| Edgar Degas, 1834-1917 Women Ironing, 1886 |
James Tissot, 1836-1902
Tissot was an Academic painter of portraits. In addition to individual portraits, he continued the tradition of group portraits commemorating male societies.
Tissot's greatest strength as in the exquisite depiction of the fashions of his time.
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| James Tissot, 1836-1902 Portrait of the Marquis and Marchioness of Miramon and their children, 1865 |
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| James Tissot, 1836-1902 The Circle of the Rue Royale, 1868 |
- This painting was commissioned by the members of this club. Each paid 1000 Francs for the painting to be made, and the final owner was determined by a special draw. Costumes and accessories are rendered with many details to show the status of these men.
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| James Tissot, 1836-1902 The Ball, 1880 |
- Tissot was the son of a fashion seller and a hat-maker, and his paintings always show great attention to attire.
Alfred Sisley, 1839-1899
Sisley was an Impressionist landscape painter. His style remained true to the Impressionist approach of direct outdoor observation, expressive brushstrokes, and accurate rendering of light effects throughout his career.
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| Alfred Sisley, 1839-1899 The Seine at Suresnes, 1877 |
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| Alfred Sisley, 1839-1899 Farmyard at St. Mammès (Seine et Marne), 1884 |
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| Alfred Sisley, 1839-1899 Spring, Aspen and Acacia, 1889 |
Paul Cézanne, 1839-1906
Cézanne's most influential work was in the 1880s and 1890s, so he is considered one of the most important Post-Impressionists.
He is often referred to as the father of 20th century art.
The museum had some interesting examples of the bold realism of his early career.
Cézanne's most influential work was in the 1880s and 1890s, so he is considered one of the most important Post-Impressionists.
He is often referred to as the father of 20th century art.
The museum had some interesting examples of the bold realism of his early career.
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| Paul Cézanne, 1839-1906 The Attorney (Uncle Dominick), 1866 |
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| Paul Cézanne, 1839-1906 Achille Emperaire, 1868 |
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| Paul Cézanne, 1839-1906 The Hanged Man's House, Auvers-sur-Oise, 1873 |
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| Paul Cézanne, 1839-1906 Mont Sainte-Victoire, c.1890 (artist age 51) |
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| Paul Cézanne, 1839-1906 Bathers, c. 1890 |
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| Paul Cézanne, 1839-1906 Still Life With a Basket (Kitchen Table), c. 1890-95 |
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| Paul Cézanne, 1839-1906 The Card Players, 1890-1895 |
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| Paul Cézanne, 1839-1906 Still Life with Onions, 1898 |
Claude Monet, 1840-1926
Monet was one of the originators of Impressionism, and he pursued variations of that approach for the remainder of his career.
Before Impressionism, he was an accomplished painter in a more realistic and traditional style.
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| Claude Monet, 1840-1926 The Argenteuil Bridge, 1874 |
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| Claude Monet, 1840-1926 The Saint-Lazare Station, 1877 |
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| Claude Monet, 1840-1926 The Railroad Bridge in Argenteuil, 1878 |
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| Claude Monet, 1840-1926 Chrysanthemums, 1878 |
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| Claude Monet, 1840-1926 The Ice Floes, 1880 |
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| Claude Monet, 1840-1926 Haystacks, End of Summer, 1891 |
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| Claude Monet, 1840-1926 Water Lily Pond, Harmony in Rose, 1900 |
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1841-1919
Most of his works are genre paintings with multiple figures interacting in a warm and friendly manner.
His outdoor scenes show a fascination with the effect of sunlight on foliage.
His indoor scenes use clear light that flatters skin-tones.
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| Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1841-1919 Claude Monet, 1875 |
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| Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1841-1919 Dance at the Moulin de la Galette, 1876 |
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| Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1841-1919 The Swing, 1878 |
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| Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1841-1919 Field of Banana Trees, 1881 |
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| Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1841-1919 Maternity; Madam Renoir and her son Pierre, 1885 Photo by Dan L. Smith, 2015 |
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| Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1841-1919 Julie Manet, 1887 |
- Julie was the daughter of Berthe Morisot and Eugene Manet.
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| Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1841-1919 Young Girls at the Piano, 1892 |
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| Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1841-1919 Young Girl Seated, 1909 |
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| Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1841-1919 Monsieur et Madame Bernheim de Villers, 1910 |
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| Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1841-1919 The Bathers, 1919 |
- These fleshy nudes might seem repellant to modern eyes. Renoir says here that women with mature figures can be beautiful.
- These are mature women relaxing after a dip in the stream, chatting intimately, unencumbered pretense or secrets.
Berthe Morisot, 1841-1895
Berthe Morisot was the greatest French woman painter of the 19th century.
She was an important member of the group that developed Impressionism.
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| Berthe Morisot (1841-1895) The Lullaby, 1872 Photo by Dan L. Smith, 2015 |
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| Berthe Morisot, 1841-1895 Young Woman Powdering Herself, 1877 |
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| Berthe Morisot, 1841-1895 Young Girl in Ball Gown, 1879 |
Mary Cassatt, 1844-1926
Mary Cassatt was the greatest woman painter of the 19th century.
Mary was a key member of the group that developed Impressionism.
She was American who built her career in Paris while cultivating a market in the U.S.
Her principal subject was women, either occupied in quiet tasks or interacting with other women or children.
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| Mary Cassatt, 1844-1926 Young Woman Sewing in a Garden, 1880-1882 |
- In the painting above, a young girl sewing is presented in a pyramidal composition dominating the whole canvas which makes her as important as a madonna; moreover, all the lines converge on her hands, whose position suggests prayer as well as sewing.
Paul Gauguin, 1848-1903
Gauguin is one of the most famous Post-Impressionist painters.
The generation of artists who arose after Impressionism peaked, Post-Impressionists had very little in common other than the fact their styles were enabled by the break from traditional art created by Impressionism.
Gauguin worked in an Impressionist manner early in his career, but later he developed an intense palette, and applied planes of pure color in a flat spatial arrangement.
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| Paul Gauguin, 1848-1903 Still-Life with Mandolin, 1885 |
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| Paul Gauguin, 1848-1903 The Washerwomen at Pont-Aven, 1886 |
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| Paul Gauguin, 1848-1903 Les Alyscamps, 1888 |
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| Paul Gauguin, 1848-1903 Yellow Haystacks, 1889 |
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| Paul Gauguin, 1848-1903 Women of Tahiti, 1891 Photo by Dan L. Smith |
Vincent van Gogh, 1853-1890
Van Gogh was the most famous Post-Impressionist.
Like Raphael, Caravaggio, and Watteau, van Gogh had huge impact on art history despite his short life: he was 37 when he died in a gun accident.
Most of his work comes from the last two years of his life.
He was the master of the expressive brushstroke and his unique color combinations are irresistible.
Henri-Edmond Cross, 1856-1910
Cross is considered a Neo-Impressionist. Neo-Impressionism was a scientific version of Impressionism that led to a style called Pointillism.
His brushstrokes were uniform, each one a separate patch of color, making his images vibrant.
Maximilien Luce, 1858-1941
Luce was a talented and prolific Neo-Impressionist.
Van Gogh was the most famous Post-Impressionist.
Like Raphael, Caravaggio, and Watteau, van Gogh had huge impact on art history despite his short life: he was 37 when he died in a gun accident.
Most of his work comes from the last two years of his life.
He was the master of the expressive brushstroke and his unique color combinations are irresistible.
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| Vincent Van Gogh, 1853-1890 Encampment of Gypsies with Caravans, 1888 |
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| Vincent Van Gogh, 1853-1890 Eugène Boch, 1888 |
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| Vincent Van Gogh, 1853-1890 Self-portrait, 1889 |
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| Vincent Van Gogh, 1853-1890 Bedroom in Arles, 1889 |
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| Vincent Van Gogh, 1853-1890 Noon, Rest from Work, 1889 |
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| Vincent Van Gogh, 1853-1890 L’hôpital Saint-Paul à Saint-Rémy, 1889 Photo by Dan L. Smith, 2015 |
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| Vincent Van Gogh, 1853-1890 The Church at Auvers, 1890 |
Henri-Edmond Cross, 1856-1910
Cross is considered a Neo-Impressionist. Neo-Impressionism was a scientific version of Impressionism that led to a style called Pointillism.
His brushstrokes were uniform, each one a separate patch of color, making his images vibrant.
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| Henri-Edmond Cross, 1856-1910 The Shipwreck, 1906 |
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| Henri-Edmond Cross, 1856-1910 The Cypresses at Cagnes, 1908 |
Luce was a talented and prolific Neo-Impressionist.
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| Maximilien Luce, 1858-1941 The Seine at Herblay, 1890 |
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| Maximilien Luce, 1858-1941 The Quai Saint-Michel and Notre-Dame, 1901 |
Georges Seurat, 1859-1891
Seurat is considered the founder of Pointillism or Neo-Impressionism. He distributed color systematically in small, uniform brushstrokes.
Like van Gogh, Seurat was short lived, dying at 31. But his influence was strong, and several artists followed their own version of Neo-Impressionism.
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| Georges Seurat, 1859-1891 Port-en-Bessin, 1888 |
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| Georges Seurat, 1859-1891 Circus, 1891 |
Théo van Rysselberghe, 1862-1926
Théo van Rysselberghe was an important Belgian Neo-Impressionist painter, who followed the system originated by Seurat.
Paul Signac, 1863-1935
Signac worked with Seurat in developing Pointillism. Since he lived much longer than Seurat, he was able to explore more variations of the technique.
Théo van Rysselberghe was an important Belgian Neo-Impressionist painter, who followed the system originated by Seurat.
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| Théo van Rysselberghe, 1862-1926 Man at the Helm, 1892 |
Paul Signac, 1863-1935
Signac worked with Seurat in developing Pointillism. Since he lived much longer than Seurat, he was able to explore more variations of the technique.
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| Paul Signac, 1863-1935 Les Andelys; The Riverbank, 1886 |
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| Paul Signac, 1863-1935 Women at the Well, 1892 |
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| Paul Signac, 1863-1935 Woman with a Parasol, 1893 |
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| Paul Signac, 1863-1935 The Demolisher, 1899 |
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| Paul Signac, 1863-1935 The Green Sail, Venice, 1904 |
Joaquin Sorolla, 1863-1923
Sorolla was a very important Spanish painter during the Post-Impressionist period.
One of his typical themes was fishermen bringing in their catch.
He was especially good at capturing sunlight and shadow.
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| Joaquin Sorolla, 1863-1923 The Return from Fishing, c. 1894 |
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1864-1901
Toulouse-Lautrec is among the best-known painters of the Post-Impressionist period, with Cézanne, van Gogh, and Gauguin.
He was basically a commercial artist who produced advertising posters for a variety of patrons from a famous cabaret in Paris to a bicycle maker in England.
His usual subject was scenes in cabarets or informal studies of performers and nightclub patrons.
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| Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1864-1901 Woman With Gloves, 1890 |
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| Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1864-1901 Jane Avril Dancing, 1892 |
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| Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1864-1901 Woman with a Black Boa, 1892 |
Things to know about 19th Century French Art
Artists working in France in the 19th Century created some of the most popular art in history.
The Academies of Paris were still active and Academic art continued to be the dominant trend.
Two of the most successful Academic artists were Bouguereau and Tissot.
- Bouguereau had a specialty of nudes.
- Tissot specialized in high fashion.
Realism was the first 'modern' art trend because it depicted subjects from real life and direct observation.
Artists who pushed realism in a modern direction were Courbet, Rosa Bonheur, Breton, Manet, and Degas.
- Courbet is known for bold landscapes and intimate nudes.
- Rosa Bonheur specialized in animals.
- Breton glorified peasant life.
- Manet was a bold experimenter in style and technique.
- Degas had a specialty of informal ballet scenes.
Impressionism upended aesthetic standards by freeing the brushstroke and analyzing colors, while choosing modern life as its theme.
Artists in the Impressionist movement were Pissarro, Sisley, Monet, Renoir, Berthe Morisot, and Mary Cassatt.
- Pissarro specialized in landscapes and women doing outdoor chores.
- Sisley was a landscape painter.
- Monet was one of the most influential Impressionists, who produced studies of light and color across a wide array of themes.
- Renoir applied Impressionism to genre scenes and portraits.
- Berthe Morisot specialized in portraits of anonymous young women.
- Mary Cassatt portrayed women engaged in ordinary activities, and made a specialty of mothers with their children.
Impressionism was such a radical change that the art of the next generation is called Post-Impressionism. Post-Impressionism was not so much an aesthetic movement as a period of art history when several hugely talented individualists created unique approaches to depicting reality.
Famous Post-Impressionists include Cézanne, Gauguin, van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec.
- Cézanne produced figure studies as well as landscape and still life; his way of handling paint great influenced art of the early 20th century.
- Gauguin is especially known for his vivid palette and his interest in peasant life, both in Europe and among island people.
- Van Gogh pushed the brushstroke to the peak of expressive power, while depicting the scenes of his life in a warm and natural palette.
- Toulouse-Lautrec applied fine art skills to commercial projects such as advertising posters.
Neo-Impressionism and Pointillism were scientific approaches to Impressionism, with uniform brushstrokes and systematic application of color.
The leaders of the Neo-Impressionist / Pointillist movement were Seurat and Signac. Other important artists in this movement were Henri-Edmond Cross and Maximilien Luce.
- Seurat was considered the founder of the movement; he applied it mainly to landscapes and circus scenes.
- Signac applied Pointillism both to landscape and to figurative genre scenes; his colors were rich and inventive.
- Henri-Edmund Cross made Pointillism relevant in the early 20th century through his vivid color schemes.
- Maximilien Luce portrayed both city and country in uniform dots and exquisitely gentle color combinations.
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