ARTS1977: Seminar on Impressionism

Abstract

This seminar focuses on the relation of Impressionism and modern life, especially the new urban spaces and lifestyles of Paris in the late nineteenth century. A key concern, for instance, will be representation of city life itself, including not only the new boulevards, parks, and train stations constructed by the Baron Haussmann, but also those locations that sat in some opposition to the “new” – old neighborhoods like Montmartre, the Zone surrounding the city, working-class districts, and so on. We will undertake extensive background reading – both primary and secondary sources, from contemporary art criticism to recent art history – before looking closely at works by Caillebotte, Cassatt, Cézanne, Degas, Monet, Morisot, Pissarro, Renoir, Seurat and others. Students will be expected to participate regularly in the discussion of texts and images and to present the results of an original research project at the end of the semester.