The Siege, the Commune and the Birth of Impressionism
384 pages
14 hours of reading
The narrative explores the connection between the Siege of Paris and the Paris Commune and the emergence of Impressionism. It delves into how the turmoil and upheaval of these historical events influenced artists, shaping their perspectives and techniques. The book reveals how the chaos of the time served as a catalyst for a revolutionary art movement, highlighting the interplay between social change and artistic expression. Through vivid accounts, it uncovers the profound impact of this period on the development of modern art.
What is the inner life? And is it vanishing in the digital age?Throughout history, artists and philosophers have cultivated the deep self, and seen value in solitude and reflection. But today, through social media, wall-to-wall marketing, reality television and the agitation of modern life, everything feels illuminated, made transparent. We feel bereft without our phones and their cameras and the feeling of instant connectivity. It gets hard to pick up a book, harder still to stay with it.In this eloquent and profound essay, renowned critic Sebastian Smee brings to the surface the idea of inner life – the awareness one may feel in front of a great painting or while listening to extraordinary music by a window at dusk or in a forest at night. No nostalgic lament, this essay evokes what is valuable and worth cultivating – a connection to our true selves, and a feeling of agency in the mystery of our own lives. At the same time, such contemplation puts us in an intensely charged relationship with things, people or works of art that are outside us.If we lose this power, Smee asks, what do we lose of ourselves?
Witness unapologetic portraits and precision worthy of a laboratory in this exploration into the oeuvre of renowned figurative painter Lucian Freud. A master of the human form who applied the same frank style and psychological rigor to sitters as varied as the Queen, Kate Moss, and an obese and naked job center supervisor. Direct and disarming, Freud's portraiture penetrates beneath flaws and folds of the flesh to reveal what lies within.
British artist Lucian Freud is widely considered the most important figurative painter working today. His portraits may be physically unflattering to their subjects, but they are honest, frank, and unapologetic.
