Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic and author Sebastian Smee explores the turbulent conditions from which Impressionism emerged.
Impressionism is recognised and beloved for its vivid colours, distinctive brushwork and innovative viewpoints – but what forces shaped this revolutionary movement? Smee places Impressionism within the political and social upheaval of 1870s Paris, a city gripped by war and civil unrest.
In 1870–71, amid the Franco-Prussian War, Paris was rocked by a siege, culminating in surrender to Germany. The city was then roiled by an internal revolution – the Commune – and a violent civil war, as government forces fought to re-take the city. This was the Paris that many Impressionist artists experienced firsthand. Smee explores the effect of these events, and of the period’s political climate, on the artists and art of the Impressionist movement.
This video has been produced as part of the NGV Observations project, which invites close examination of works and periods of art and design history in the NGV Collection, unlocking stories of society, culture and creativity through the eyes of international researchers, curators, and writers.
Observations is generously supported by an anonymous donor.