Monet and the Birth of Impressionism (Part 1)

In 1870s Paris a group of radical young artists led by Monet, Degas and Renoir decide to take on the art establishment and stage their own exhibition, independent of the enormous state-run art show - the Salon. It was a completely new idea that would transform how artists showed their work forever. But first they need to find a venue and recruit more artists to their cause. Then there’s the nagging question - how are they going to pay for it all? And when it finally opens, will anyone come? Join James and Alastair as they tell the story of the First Impressionist Exhibition of 1874, a turning point in the history of art that marked the beginning of a now world-famous art movement - Impressionism.

Artworks in this week’s episode include:

Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise, 1872, Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris

Jean-Léon Gérôme, L'Éminence Grise, 1873, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Edouard Manet, The Railway, 1873, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Ludovic-Napoléon Lepic, Jupiter, 1861

To see images of the artworks in this episodes go to www.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 to Monet's Impression Sunrise
• 00:05:21 Second Empire France in Crisis
• 00:10:28 Understanding the Salon System
• 00:19:17 The 1874 Salon: Conservative vs. Progressive Art
• 00:31:37 Formation of the Société Anonyme
• 00:37:41 Nadar's Studio: The Perfect Venue
• 00:41:57 Preparing for the Exhibition
• 00:44:26 Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser