Impressionism and Its Canon

"Impressionism and Its Canon examines the diffuse relations among Impressionist artists and how history coalesced them into a uniform group. Canons of art are immensely interesting objects of inquiry. They are diverse in origin and style; they are comprised of a few central members that are agreed upon by almost all scholars, but with many outliers that are not; they are studied intensely by scholars; and their key members are widely appreciated by a public audience. A pivotal artistic canon is that of French Impressionism. By considering the artists, the museums showcasing Impressionist artwork, the collectors who donated it to museums, and the scholars and art professionals who have written about the art, this work explores the evolution of this canon and its now iconic role in Western culture. The book also highlights the role of the public in supporting and solidifying the structure of the French Impressionist canon. Impressionism and Its Canon focuses on about 140 images that were reproduced most often over the course of the 20th century and that remain at the core of the present impressionism canon."--BOOK JACKET.