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The Judgment of Paris: The Revolutionary Decade That Gave the World Impressionism | 
 enlarge | Author: Ross King
Publisher: Walker Company
Category: Book
List Price: $28.00
Buy New: $5.45
You Save: $22.55 (81%)
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Rating:  36 reviews
Sales Rank: 11706
Format: Bargain Price
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 464
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.9
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6.1 x 1.8
Dewey Decimal Number: 759.409034
ASIN: B00120VIYO
Publication Date: January 10, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The fascinating new book by the author of bBrunelleschi#8217;s Dome/b and bMichelangelo and the Pope#8217;s Ceiling/b: a saga of artistic rivalry and cultural upheaval in the decade leading to the birth of Impressionism.brbrIf there were two men who were absolutely central to artistic life in France in the second half of the nineteenth century, they were Edouard Manet and Ernest Meissonier. While the former has been labelled the #8220;Father of Impressionism#8221; and is today a household name, the latter has sunk into obscurity. It is difficult now to believe that in 1864, when this story begins, it was Meissonier who was considered the greatest French artist alive and who received astronomical sums for his work, while Manet was derided for his messy paintings of ordinary people and had great difficulty getting any of his work accepted at the all-important annual Paris Salon. brbrManet and Meissonier were the Mozart and Salieri of their day, one a dangerous challenge to the establishment, the other beloved by rulers and the public alike for his painstakingly meticulous oil paintings of historical subjects. Out of the fascinating story of their parallel careers, Ross King creates a lens through which to view the political tensions that dogged Louis-Napoleon during the Second Empire, his ignominious downfall, and the bloody Paris Commune of 1871. At the same time, King paints a wonderfully detailed and vivid portrait of life in an era of radical social change: on the streets of Paris, at the new seaside resorts of Boulogne and Trouville, and at the race courses and picnic spots where the new bourgeoisie relaxed. When Manet painted Dejeuner sur l#8217;herbe or Olympia, he shocked not only with his casual brushstrokes (described by some as applied by a #8216;floor mop#8217;) but with his subject matter: top-hatted white-collar workers (and their mistresses) were not considered suitable subjects for #8216;Art#8217;. Ross King shows how, benign as they might seem today, these paintings changed the course of history. The struggle between Meissonier and Manet to see their paintings achieve pride of place at the Salon was not just about artistic competitiveness, it was about how to see the world.brbrFull of fantastic tidbits of information (such as the use of carrier pigeons and hot-air balloons during the siege of Paris), and a colourful cast of characters that includes Baudelaire, Courbet, and Zola, with walk-on parts for Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Cezanne, bThe Judgment of Paris/b casts new light on the birth of Impressionism and takes us to the heart of a time in which the modern French identity was being forged.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 31 more reviews...
 Popular History At Its Best September 7, 2008
R. Wilson (Oregon)
By tracing the careers of two French artists in the 1860s, King manages to illuminate the motivating forces behind, and the sources beneath, transition at a crucial point in the evolution of art in the West. Almost every page is filled with information and analysis that fascinates the reader. Yet King never loses focus and never blurs the narrative of the stories of two men who never met. One, Meissonier, was a popular giant of his day - an art star. Patrons could not get enough of his work because he painted what was popular. He saw what the free market wanted and he painted it. Edouard Manet, on the other hand, was Meissonier's opposite. He painted what he wanted to paint and it was, except in the small coterie of impressionists, universally reviled because it was new and shocking. King does not overstate the irony that few today have heard of Meissonier while Manet's work became a foundation for Impressionism and the concepts upon which modern art is based. Along the way, King explains much about the French Second Empire, as well as the relationship between the artist and the public, the role of government in fostering generally accepted standards of taste, and ways in which generational events influence the world of art. If you have an interest in art, history or just enjoy a great story, you will find this book well worth your time.
one of the best books on 19th century French painting I have read July 29, 2008
Kaaren S. Brown (Ann Arbor)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
King uses the lives of two painters and a wonderfully detailed historical context to present the roots and further development of Impressionism. I hate to use the term for such a densely written book, but it is an easy read. In addition, it is a useful reference book. I have dipped back into it several times to refresh my understanding of certain artists.
 Meissonier who? April 15, 2008
S. Cofer (Houston, Texas)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
King chronicles the careers of two French artists, Ernest Meissonier and Edouard Manet, during the late 19th century. Meissonier, the darling of the Paris Salon (the organization that could make or break an artist's career during that time), was the most famous and highest paid painter of the day. In contrast, Manet, heralded as the father of the Impressionist movement, struggled with constant rejection by the Salon as well as the critics. Manet's popularity came later in his career and following his death while Meissonier's work has since faded into obscurity. King gives a fascinating look at the politics and history of the turbulent time period. My only criticism: while the book provided some illustrations of the paintings, there could have been more. King went into great detail about the minute details of many paintings, which was wonderful when the painting was illustrated in the book, but a bit frustrating when it was not. All in all, a good read.
noithing changes in the art world April 9, 2008
N. Laddon (Redondo Beach, Ca United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I loved this book. I just got back from Paris and I am an artist so I felt right at home reading about the art world in Paris over 100 years ago. Nothing changes much in the art world. In 2008 there are exhibitions with so many restrictions and rules, the art is lost in the Museum/gallery politics. The book reads like fiction, it is a bit over researched, but I do feel completley at home visiting the M room. Good job! br /
 Art history as MTV December 26, 2007
R. Weiner
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
My husband read this, and passed it along. While I finished the book, I found slightly infuriating: Chapters are short, occasionally the book reads like a guest list at a fancy party and nothing is treated in any kind of depth. To top it al off, there are too few reproductions of the art discussed. In all, a decent view into the rise of Impressionism but, not one with great soul.
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