When Monet’s Impression, Sunrise was displayed at the First Impressionist Exhibition in 1874 it inspired one critic to scornfully describe the artists on show as ‘Impressionists’. And so the name of one of the most successful movements in the history of art was born.
But was the success of the First Impressionist Exhibition more fiction than fact? Was it really a groundbreaking moment in art history or just a chance for some impoverished young artists to make a bit of cash? Join James and Alastair to find out.
Artworks in this week’s episode include:
Edgar Degas, At the Races in the Countryside, 1869, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, La Loge (The Theatre Box), 1874, The Courtauld Gallery, London
Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise, 1872, Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris
To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/storiesofart or visit the Heni Talks Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks
Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac
Chapters
- 00:00:00 Introduction and Recap of Part 1
- 00:00:44 Walking down the Boulevard des Capucines
- 00:04:27 Inside the Exhibition Space
- 00:07:37 A Diverse and Eclectic Show
- 00:10:21 Degas: At the Races in the Countryside
- 00:13:29 Renoir: The Theatre Box (La Loge)
- 00:18:09 Monet: Impression Sunrise - The Painting
- 00:23:33 The Science Behind the Sun
- 00:28:21 What Makes It Impressionist?
- 00:31:43 Critical Reception and the Birth of a Name
- 00:43:38 Financial Failure and Dissolution
- 00:45:23 Legacy