Paris 1874 Inventing impressionism

WRITTEN IN FRENCH

150 years ago, on April 15, 1874, the first impressionist exhibition opened in Paris. To celebrate this anniversary, Musée d'Orsay is presenting some 130 works and bringing a fresh eye to bear on this key date, regarded as the day that launched the avant-gardes.

« Hungry for independence », Monet, Renoir, Degas, Morisot, Pissarro, Sisley and Cézanne decided to break the rules by organising their own exhibition, outside the official channels: Impressionism was born. What exactly happened in the spring of 1874 in Paris, and what meaning should be given to an exhibition that has become mythical? "Paris 1874. The Impressionist Moment" proposes to retrace the advent of an artistic movement that arose in a rapidly changing world.
« Paris 1874 » takes stock of the circumstances that led these 31 artists to come together to exhibit their works together. The climate of the period was that of a post-war period, following two conflicts: the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, then a violent civil war. In this context of crisis, artists are rethinking their art and exploring new directions.
A small « clan of rebels » paints scenes of modern life, or landscapes with light tones and a lively touch, sketched in the open air. As one observer noted, « what they seem to be looking for above all else is the impression ». A selection of works that appeared at the 1874 Impressionist exhibition are put into perspective with paintings and sculptures shown at the same time at the Official Salon. This unprecedented confrontation makes it possible to reconstruct the visual shock of the works exhibited by the Impressionists at the time, but also to nuance it, through unexpected parallels and overlaps between the first Impressionist exhibition and the Salon. She thus shows the contradictions and the infinite richness of contemporary creation in the spring of 1874, while highlighting the radical modernity of the art of these young artists.

Exhibition at the musée d'Orsay, from March 26th to July 14th, 2024, touring at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, from September 8, 2024 to January 19, 2025

French
288 pages / 250 illustrations

Co-publishing Réunion des musées nationaux - Grand Palais / Musée d'Orsay