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. If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time. 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 For more great art content visit www.heni.com 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