Manet to Matisse: Impressionist Masters from the Marion and Henry Bloch Collection by Richard R. Brettell
Manet to Matisse documents one of the most important collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces still in private hands in the United States. Characterized by works of rich colour and scintillating brushwork, it represents a fascinating overview of the richness of avant-garde French painting from the mid-nineteenth to the early-twentieth century. Among the most notable pieces are Manet's The Croquet Party, van Gogh's Restaurant Rispal at Asnieres, Gauguin's The Willow Tree, and Cezanne's Quarry at Bibemus, as well as major works by Monet, Renoir, Degas, Pissarro, Morisot, and Sisley. There are also important pictures by the modern masters Bonnard and Matisse. Although made by famed artists, many of the works are little-known today because they have been in private hands for so long. Richard R Brettell and Joachim Pissarro explore the history and significance of each work in detail, offering fresh and thought provoking perspectives. In accompanying essays, Ian Kennedy examines the evolving history of the collection, and Richard R Brettell places it within a broader narrative of domestic collecting.