Monet and the Birth of Impressionism (Part 2)

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. 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: 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