My Account
Log in Registration
All
Cart
Highlights
Fiction Books
Non-Fiction Books
Children's Books
Rare Books
Music
DVD & Blu-Ray
Video Games
Category
Wishlists
Cart
All
Free US shipping over $10
Trustpilot
Proud to be B-Corp

Paris in Ruins Sebastian Smee

Paris in Ruins By Sebastian Smee

Paris in Ruins by Sebastian Smee

Reviews:
$30.49
Condition - New
<30 in stock
New

Summary

The untold story of how the disastrous events of the Siege of Paris and the Paris Commune led to the birth of Impressionism

Paris in Ruins Summary

Paris in Ruins: The Siege, the Commune and the Birth of Impressionism by Sebastian Smee

Pulitzer-winner Sebastian Smee relives the remarkable birth of Impressionism from the ashes of war

'Enjoyable... a fine portrait not only of impressionism but the society that made it possible'THE SUNDAY TIMES

Paris, January 1871 the final, agonising days of the Franco-Prussian War. As the German army cements its advantage, shells rattle through the Left Bank. It is a bitterly cold winter; there is no fuel, no medicine, no food. The citys poorer citizens have long turned to eating rats, cats and dogs. France has been brought to its knees.

Edouard Manet, Berthe Morisot, and Edgar Degas are trapped in the besieged city. Renoir and Bazille have joined regiments outside of Paris, while Monet and Pissarro fled the country just in time. Out of the Siege and the Commune, these artists developed a newfound sense of the fragility of life. A feeling for transience reflected in Impressionisms emphasis on fugitive light, shifting seasons, glimpsed street scenes, and the impermanence of all things would change art history forever.

This is the extraordinary account of the Terrible Year in Paris and its monumental impact on the rise of Impressionism.

***

'Vigorous and enjoyable'DAILY TELEGRAPH

'Smee has a gimlet eye, a seductive style and a novelists feel for character and incident'NEW YORK TIMES

'Detailed, lively and at times richly novelistic'LITERARY REVIEW

Paris in Ruins Reviews

'Smee gives us such a handle on his two protagonists, Manet and Morisot, that they begin to feel like old friends... Enjoyable... a well-researched book, stylishly written, a fine portrait not only of impressionism but the society that made it possible.' The Sunday Times


'Vigorous and enjoyable... a book written in buoyant and accessible fashion... It paints subtle and intriguing portraits of Manet and Morisot, chummily referred to as Edouard and Berthe, and delineates a tortuous course of events with admirable clarity.As a straightforward introduction to the field, it could hardly be bettered.' Daily Telegraph


'Sebastian Smee takes us on an enthralling journey through Pariss Terrible Year, featuring the vivid characters and fast-moving plot of a novel.Paris in Ruinsintertwines politics and warfare with the compelling personal stories of two great artists, beautifully revealing how the brilliance of Impressionism emerged from a backdrop of tragedy and violence.' Ross King, author ofMad Enchantment


'Smee has a gimlet eye, a seductive style and a novelists feel for character and incident Sebastian Smee has written an inspiring book about artists committed to "the new": new ways of seeing a changing world; new ways of living and feeling; new ways of painting.' New York Times


'Sebastian Smee explodes a tired chestnut about the Impressionists: that their works are merely pretty. Like a restorer scraping off layers of grime and dust, he restores colour and nuance and light, and performs the vital critical task of forcing us to look better and deeper at things we thought we already knew.' Benjamin Moser, author ofSontag


'Sebastian Smee brings a fresh eye the eye of the art critic and historian to develop entirely new perspectives. The drama of the siege reads like a cliffhanger even though you know whats going to happen. Beautifully written, with a novelists timing.' Andrew Hussey, author ofParis: The Secret History


Detailed, lively and at times richly novelistic [Smee]writes with both knowledge and panache, transmitting the sense of urgency and immediacy.' Literary Review


Smee vividly conveys the terror of the times, the tense military standoffs and plotting, and the inflamed passions his depiction of impressionists works is discerning, as is his sensitivity to the complicated relationships among the artists. Deft, vibrant cultural history. Kirkus

About Sebastian Smee

Sebastian Smee is an art critic for the Washington Post. He was previously the chief art critic at the Boston Globe, where he won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 2011. He has also written for the Telegraph, Guardian, Independent, The Times, FT, Prospect Magazine and Spectator. He is the author of The Art of Rivalry: Four Friendships, Betrayals, and Breakthroughs in Modern Art.

Additional information

NGR9780861542697
9780861542697
086154269X
Paris in Ruins: The Siege, the Commune and the Birth of Impressionism by Sebastian Smee
Sebastian Smee
New
Hardback
Oneworld Publications
2024-10-17
384
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a new book - be the first to read this copy. With untouched pages and a perfect binding, your brand new copy is ready to be opened for the first time

Customer Reviews - Paris in Ruins