CLAUDE MONET AND HIS PAINTINGS
Scanned, proofed and corrected from the original edition for your reading pleasure. (Worth every penny!)
***
This edition contains additional annotations by the e-book publisher and 23 illustrations that were not included in the original hardcover edition.
***
An excerpt from the beginning:
In 1845 a man walked the streets of Paris all day long bearing under his arm a picture that he had tried in vain to sell. None of the dealers would have it, for why should they buy a painting by an artist whose works had been rejected at the Salon? They were merchants; their interest in a work of art was measured by the profit they could make out of it. The bearer of the picture had assured the artist that he would find a purchaser for it, and, though discouraged, he was unwilling to return to Barbizon with the canvas unsold. Happily he remembered that Baroilhet—the famous barytone—was a friend and, in a modest way, a patron of art. He called upon Baroilhet, showed him the picture, and exclaimed: "I offer you a good bargain, and a masterpiece. You can pay, in two installments, two hundred and fifty francs a month." The man was Jules Dupré, and the masterpiece that the singer bought was the "Hoar Frost" of Théodore Rousseau. So too in 1859, when Millet painted "The Angelus," neither dealer nor amateur was eager to possess it; and yet thirty years afterwards, representatives of great galleries in Europe and dealers on both continents battled for it at public auction in Paris, till it was knocked down to the buyer for over five hundred and fifty thousand francs. These are not isolated examples. They are cited because both these well-known pictures afterwards came to America, and one of them has found a permanent home in Mr. Walters' gallery at Baltimore. It was quite the same in the time of Rembrandt and Ruysdael and Frans Hals. "The Rembrandts, which we recognize as so mighty to-day, whose possession represents so much money, were to be had, even when his name and fame were known, for less than you, my pupils, would accept for any study of yours."
All these men at times painted masterpieces; but it took more than a hundred years to find it out. The pictures themselves had not changed, except for the worse, but public opinion had changed. On the other hand, as we know, many paintings that were the delight of dealers and connoisseurs of former generations are the derision of our own. And so with all this changing opinion about art in the past, can we be absolutely sure that the judgments of to-day will not be reversed by wiser appreciations to-morrow?
At the present time, and for many years past, both in France and America, the painters of 1830 have justly been held in high repute. Every collector nowadays thinks he must have some samples of the school; while as for the masterpieces, they are so few that he is a fortunate person who is able to own even one. But so authoritative are the names of these great men, that the public has easily been beguiled into purchasing very commonplace, if not indeed spurious, examples of their work, in preference to far better paintings by comparatively unknown men. And yet there are those who have the hardihood to believe that even the Barbizon masters have not said the last word in landscape art and closed the book; that in our own generation a new and great landscape painter has appeared in France, whose work has already exercised a powerful influence upon the art of the present day, and is destined to still more distinguished rank in the future. So far as official recognition is concerned, he is the legitimate successor of Théodore Rousseau and Puvis de Chavannes. Like them he has endured the hostility of dealers and critics as well as the condemnation of the Institute; like them he has lived to see the reversal of an ignorant and hostile judgment; and in his mature years has begun to enjoy the fruits of comparative renown. In England, where stubborn conservatism extends even to matters of art, the dealers have not yet bestowed upon Claude Monet the honor of a passing recognition. In Paris and in America, most of them began by treating his pictures with hilarious contempt. Afterwards, when they found that his friends were multiplying and were actually buying his paintings, they changed their attitude to one of patronizing tolerance that was more insulting than open scorn. But these years of strife, which would have crushed a weaker man, only stimulated Monet to renewed efforts to express with greater fidelity his artistic convictions. All that he was, all that he hoped to be, was dedicated to the representation of nature as he knew her, without the fear or the favor of man. Whether his reputation is ephemeral or enduring, friend and foe alike must award Monet this meed of praise—that he has never sacrificed his self-respect for popular applause nor bartered his art for gold.
"1103512200"
***
This edition contains additional annotations by the e-book publisher and 23 illustrations that were not included in the original hardcover edition.
***
An excerpt from the beginning:
In 1845 a man walked the streets of Paris all day long bearing under his arm a picture that he had tried in vain to sell. None of the dealers would have it, for why should they buy a painting by an artist whose works had been rejected at the Salon? They were merchants; their interest in a work of art was measured by the profit they could make out of it. The bearer of the picture had assured the artist that he would find a purchaser for it, and, though discouraged, he was unwilling to return to Barbizon with the canvas unsold. Happily he remembered that Baroilhet—the famous barytone—was a friend and, in a modest way, a patron of art. He called upon Baroilhet, showed him the picture, and exclaimed: "I offer you a good bargain, and a masterpiece. You can pay, in two installments, two hundred and fifty francs a month." The man was Jules Dupré, and the masterpiece that the singer bought was the "Hoar Frost" of Théodore Rousseau. So too in 1859, when Millet painted "The Angelus," neither dealer nor amateur was eager to possess it; and yet thirty years afterwards, representatives of great galleries in Europe and dealers on both continents battled for it at public auction in Paris, till it was knocked down to the buyer for over five hundred and fifty thousand francs. These are not isolated examples. They are cited because both these well-known pictures afterwards came to America, and one of them has found a permanent home in Mr. Walters' gallery at Baltimore. It was quite the same in the time of Rembrandt and Ruysdael and Frans Hals. "The Rembrandts, which we recognize as so mighty to-day, whose possession represents so much money, were to be had, even when his name and fame were known, for less than you, my pupils, would accept for any study of yours."
All these men at times painted masterpieces; but it took more than a hundred years to find it out. The pictures themselves had not changed, except for the worse, but public opinion had changed. On the other hand, as we know, many paintings that were the delight of dealers and connoisseurs of former generations are the derision of our own. And so with all this changing opinion about art in the past, can we be absolutely sure that the judgments of to-day will not be reversed by wiser appreciations to-morrow?
At the present time, and for many years past, both in France and America, the painters of 1830 have justly been held in high repute. Every collector nowadays thinks he must have some samples of the school; while as for the masterpieces, they are so few that he is a fortunate person who is able to own even one. But so authoritative are the names of these great men, that the public has easily been beguiled into purchasing very commonplace, if not indeed spurious, examples of their work, in preference to far better paintings by comparatively unknown men. And yet there are those who have the hardihood to believe that even the Barbizon masters have not said the last word in landscape art and closed the book; that in our own generation a new and great landscape painter has appeared in France, whose work has already exercised a powerful influence upon the art of the present day, and is destined to still more distinguished rank in the future. So far as official recognition is concerned, he is the legitimate successor of Théodore Rousseau and Puvis de Chavannes. Like them he has endured the hostility of dealers and critics as well as the condemnation of the Institute; like them he has lived to see the reversal of an ignorant and hostile judgment; and in his mature years has begun to enjoy the fruits of comparative renown. In England, where stubborn conservatism extends even to matters of art, the dealers have not yet bestowed upon Claude Monet the honor of a passing recognition. In Paris and in America, most of them began by treating his pictures with hilarious contempt. Afterwards, when they found that his friends were multiplying and were actually buying his paintings, they changed their attitude to one of patronizing tolerance that was more insulting than open scorn. But these years of strife, which would have crushed a weaker man, only stimulated Monet to renewed efforts to express with greater fidelity his artistic convictions. All that he was, all that he hoped to be, was dedicated to the representation of nature as he knew her, without the fear or the favor of man. Whether his reputation is ephemeral or enduring, friend and foe alike must award Monet this meed of praise—that he has never sacrificed his self-respect for popular applause nor bartered his art for gold.
CLAUDE MONET AND HIS PAINTINGS
Scanned, proofed and corrected from the original edition for your reading pleasure. (Worth every penny!)
***
This edition contains additional annotations by the e-book publisher and 23 illustrations that were not included in the original hardcover edition.
***
An excerpt from the beginning:
In 1845 a man walked the streets of Paris all day long bearing under his arm a picture that he had tried in vain to sell. None of the dealers would have it, for why should they buy a painting by an artist whose works had been rejected at the Salon? They were merchants; their interest in a work of art was measured by the profit they could make out of it. The bearer of the picture had assured the artist that he would find a purchaser for it, and, though discouraged, he was unwilling to return to Barbizon with the canvas unsold. Happily he remembered that Baroilhet—the famous barytone—was a friend and, in a modest way, a patron of art. He called upon Baroilhet, showed him the picture, and exclaimed: "I offer you a good bargain, and a masterpiece. You can pay, in two installments, two hundred and fifty francs a month." The man was Jules Dupré, and the masterpiece that the singer bought was the "Hoar Frost" of Théodore Rousseau. So too in 1859, when Millet painted "The Angelus," neither dealer nor amateur was eager to possess it; and yet thirty years afterwards, representatives of great galleries in Europe and dealers on both continents battled for it at public auction in Paris, till it was knocked down to the buyer for over five hundred and fifty thousand francs. These are not isolated examples. They are cited because both these well-known pictures afterwards came to America, and one of them has found a permanent home in Mr. Walters' gallery at Baltimore. It was quite the same in the time of Rembrandt and Ruysdael and Frans Hals. "The Rembrandts, which we recognize as so mighty to-day, whose possession represents so much money, were to be had, even when his name and fame were known, for less than you, my pupils, would accept for any study of yours."
All these men at times painted masterpieces; but it took more than a hundred years to find it out. The pictures themselves had not changed, except for the worse, but public opinion had changed. On the other hand, as we know, many paintings that were the delight of dealers and connoisseurs of former generations are the derision of our own. And so with all this changing opinion about art in the past, can we be absolutely sure that the judgments of to-day will not be reversed by wiser appreciations to-morrow?
At the present time, and for many years past, both in France and America, the painters of 1830 have justly been held in high repute. Every collector nowadays thinks he must have some samples of the school; while as for the masterpieces, they are so few that he is a fortunate person who is able to own even one. But so authoritative are the names of these great men, that the public has easily been beguiled into purchasing very commonplace, if not indeed spurious, examples of their work, in preference to far better paintings by comparatively unknown men. And yet there are those who have the hardihood to believe that even the Barbizon masters have not said the last word in landscape art and closed the book; that in our own generation a new and great landscape painter has appeared in France, whose work has already exercised a powerful influence upon the art of the present day, and is destined to still more distinguished rank in the future. So far as official recognition is concerned, he is the legitimate successor of Théodore Rousseau and Puvis de Chavannes. Like them he has endured the hostility of dealers and critics as well as the condemnation of the Institute; like them he has lived to see the reversal of an ignorant and hostile judgment; and in his mature years has begun to enjoy the fruits of comparative renown. In England, where stubborn conservatism extends even to matters of art, the dealers have not yet bestowed upon Claude Monet the honor of a passing recognition. In Paris and in America, most of them began by treating his pictures with hilarious contempt. Afterwards, when they found that his friends were multiplying and were actually buying his paintings, they changed their attitude to one of patronizing tolerance that was more insulting than open scorn. But these years of strife, which would have crushed a weaker man, only stimulated Monet to renewed efforts to express with greater fidelity his artistic convictions. All that he was, all that he hoped to be, was dedicated to the representation of nature as he knew her, without the fear or the favor of man. Whether his reputation is ephemeral or enduring, friend and foe alike must award Monet this meed of praise—that he has never sacrificed his self-respect for popular applause nor bartered his art for gold.
***
This edition contains additional annotations by the e-book publisher and 23 illustrations that were not included in the original hardcover edition.
***
An excerpt from the beginning:
In 1845 a man walked the streets of Paris all day long bearing under his arm a picture that he had tried in vain to sell. None of the dealers would have it, for why should they buy a painting by an artist whose works had been rejected at the Salon? They were merchants; their interest in a work of art was measured by the profit they could make out of it. The bearer of the picture had assured the artist that he would find a purchaser for it, and, though discouraged, he was unwilling to return to Barbizon with the canvas unsold. Happily he remembered that Baroilhet—the famous barytone—was a friend and, in a modest way, a patron of art. He called upon Baroilhet, showed him the picture, and exclaimed: "I offer you a good bargain, and a masterpiece. You can pay, in two installments, two hundred and fifty francs a month." The man was Jules Dupré, and the masterpiece that the singer bought was the "Hoar Frost" of Théodore Rousseau. So too in 1859, when Millet painted "The Angelus," neither dealer nor amateur was eager to possess it; and yet thirty years afterwards, representatives of great galleries in Europe and dealers on both continents battled for it at public auction in Paris, till it was knocked down to the buyer for over five hundred and fifty thousand francs. These are not isolated examples. They are cited because both these well-known pictures afterwards came to America, and one of them has found a permanent home in Mr. Walters' gallery at Baltimore. It was quite the same in the time of Rembrandt and Ruysdael and Frans Hals. "The Rembrandts, which we recognize as so mighty to-day, whose possession represents so much money, were to be had, even when his name and fame were known, for less than you, my pupils, would accept for any study of yours."
All these men at times painted masterpieces; but it took more than a hundred years to find it out. The pictures themselves had not changed, except for the worse, but public opinion had changed. On the other hand, as we know, many paintings that were the delight of dealers and connoisseurs of former generations are the derision of our own. And so with all this changing opinion about art in the past, can we be absolutely sure that the judgments of to-day will not be reversed by wiser appreciations to-morrow?
At the present time, and for many years past, both in France and America, the painters of 1830 have justly been held in high repute. Every collector nowadays thinks he must have some samples of the school; while as for the masterpieces, they are so few that he is a fortunate person who is able to own even one. But so authoritative are the names of these great men, that the public has easily been beguiled into purchasing very commonplace, if not indeed spurious, examples of their work, in preference to far better paintings by comparatively unknown men. And yet there are those who have the hardihood to believe that even the Barbizon masters have not said the last word in landscape art and closed the book; that in our own generation a new and great landscape painter has appeared in France, whose work has already exercised a powerful influence upon the art of the present day, and is destined to still more distinguished rank in the future. So far as official recognition is concerned, he is the legitimate successor of Théodore Rousseau and Puvis de Chavannes. Like them he has endured the hostility of dealers and critics as well as the condemnation of the Institute; like them he has lived to see the reversal of an ignorant and hostile judgment; and in his mature years has begun to enjoy the fruits of comparative renown. In England, where stubborn conservatism extends even to matters of art, the dealers have not yet bestowed upon Claude Monet the honor of a passing recognition. In Paris and in America, most of them began by treating his pictures with hilarious contempt. Afterwards, when they found that his friends were multiplying and were actually buying his paintings, they changed their attitude to one of patronizing tolerance that was more insulting than open scorn. But these years of strife, which would have crushed a weaker man, only stimulated Monet to renewed efforts to express with greater fidelity his artistic convictions. All that he was, all that he hoped to be, was dedicated to the representation of nature as he knew her, without the fear or the favor of man. Whether his reputation is ephemeral or enduring, friend and foe alike must award Monet this meed of praise—that he has never sacrificed his self-respect for popular applause nor bartered his art for gold.
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CLAUDE MONET AND HIS PAINTINGS
CLAUDE MONET AND HIS PAINTINGS
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Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940012943736 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | OGB |
| Publication date: | 06/10/2011 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Sales rank: | 454,687 |
| File size: | 2 MB |
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