Monet:LostInTranslation

FewmovementsinartaremorebelovedthanFrenchimpressionism.ItwasduringthisperiodthatartistslikeMonetmovedoutsidethestudiotopaintelaboratepleinair“impressions”oftheworldaroundthem,fromcheerfullycoloredcityscenes,toseascapesduringstormyweatheranddetailedlandscapesawashinnaturallight.Monet:LostinTranslation.RevisitingImpressionismbringstogethertwohundredfull-colorimagesfromtheperiod.Inadditiontotheirundeniablebeautythatleavesviewersbreathless,partofthefascinationwiththeFrenchimpressionistslieswithwhattheseworkscantellusaboutthetimeoftheirproduction—fromfavoriteplaceslikethebeachesofNormandyandthebanksoftheSeinetopopularpastimeslikepicnicsandpromenadesandeventheimportanceoftherailroadandotherinnovationsoftheday.Beginningwiththeprecursorsofthepleinairtradition,thebooktakesreadersthroughmasterworksbyCorot,Degas,Renoir,Gauguin,Caillebotte,andmanyoftheircontemporariesbeforeendingonwhatisundeniablythemovement’smostwell-lovedmasterwork:Monet’sWaterLilies,paintedinhisfamousgardeninGiverny.Drawingonavastcollectionofmasterworksfrommuseumsaroundtheworld,includingtheNationalGalleryofArtinWashington,DC,andNewYork’sMetropolitanMuseumofArt,thebookguidesreadersthroughthemajorworksofthemovement.