|
International Art Treasures Web Magazine May 2004 |
Millet to MatisseImpressionist fans are in for a treat with an outstanding exhibition organized by The American Federation of Arts and Glasgow Museums.
Cézanne, Van Gogh, Millet, Matisse and Cassatt are just a few of the masters assembled in this sixty-four piece touring exhibit Millet to Matisse: Nineteenth and Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow. Pissaro influenced Cézanne to work outdoors. The Impressionists infused color into their work, still creating shadow but not with dark somber tones.
Alexander Reid was a Scottish painter and art dealer who was an acquaintance of Van Gogh's when the artist resided in London and himself worked as an art dealer. The two men had issues as their careers overlapped their business interests. Portrait of Alexander Reid brings together two of the key elements unique to the exhibition the talent of Vincent van Gogh and the importance of Glasgow art patrons in purchasing art from the Impressionists. The piece is extremely colorful and expressive and it was painted in the few remaining years of the artist's life. Alexander Reid at one time was the most prominent Scottish art dealer specializing in Impressionist Art. The art dealer generously gave many artworks to the Kelvingrove Collection. Glasgow prospered in the 19th Century and as was customary the emerging wealth both wanted and needed to find outlets for their gains and demonstrate their status to those around them. One way that was popular was to purchase then contemporary French art from dealers such as Alexander Reid. The exhibition is not only a wonderful time frame of the life of Impressionism but also off the city of Glasgow and its historic ties to the art world. "Kelvingrove Art Gallery contains one of the preeminent collections of French painting. The exhibition will provide a unique opportunity for a comprehensive view of developments in French painting from the mid-nineteenth to the early twentieth centuries through examples by some of the most renowned artists of the period." Julie Brown, Director of The American Federation of Arts described this exhibition.
The American painter, Mary Cassatt, spent much of her career in Paris where she felt restricted by societal norms that then forbade a woman to be alone with any male that was not a direct relative. Artists notoriously use models in their work and this was an unfair restriction on her creative process. Cassatt persevered and went on to be known for her female portraiture. Thanks to her friendship with Degas the artist was able to exhibit with the Impressionists beginning in 1879. Her background was one of wealth and that benefited the burgeoning artistic community thanks to Cassatt's encouragement of her family friends to purchase the Impressionists' pieces.
Eugène Boudin was encouraged to paint by his friend Millet. He was innovative in the plein air genre and is credited with introducing Monet to the pleasures of painting in the great outdoors. The artist remained in Normandy for much of his life preferring landscapes of beach scenes to form the main portion of his repertoire. Boudin was noted for the brilliant skies in his painting. This exhibition provides an opportunity to view the development of Impressionism. Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec until May 2, 2004 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts May 19 through August 15, 2004 Oklahoma City Museum of Art Sept 8 - December 5, 2004 The exhibition was previously shown at the Speed Art Museum, The Frick Art and Historical Center, The Joslyn Art Museum and The Albuquerque Museum. |
|
