DURAND - HUA amd Se ea ne Psst 57th Street New York 1926 | - Exhibition of Paintings ae ~ The IMPRESSIONISTS- + sey ee pe as mes December 18th to 31st cm Ane Ira _ : to anal g We me: de * ES Ditend Racl who have fica i 3 Sllccics and quraneed these pic- tures | in honor of fifty years of Impressionism : The ‘Impressionists ‘ I F the history of ideas, of literature, of arts, and | politics 1s always a struggle between conservatism and tradition, guarded with obstinate resistance against the assaults of new ideas, new movements, and new men, one could not tell the story of that group of men who called themselves “Société anonyme des Artistes Peintres,” and who later became known as “Impressionists,” except in Ane way. Today when the prestige of official juries is more complimentary than actual, and an artist is at liberty to exhibit his works freely, their difticulties and struggles can only be judged by turning back to that past of fifty ears ago, and escribing its circumstances so essentially fed by the social and political Paris of that day, long since passed away. The Romantic tradition was a solidly established institution, supported by contemporary journalism, litera- ture, the respectab e citizen, and the government. When the smoke of the revolution of 1830 cleared away it was discovered to have been artistic as well as political eo and the artistic results were the more permanent. The philosophy of Jean J acques Rosseau had found its first re expression in the works of Hugo, George Sand, de Musset, Berlioz, Liszt, Chopin, Ingres, and Delacroix, and their Romanticism proved to be an im- mense force. Act and literature was produced as if under some emotional crisis, in a very fever of frenzy and vio-~ lence. All their searching after grandeur was to express man's supposed natural state freed of restraint. The aver-~ age simple citizen, who shone Kye) brightly in the reflected glory was naturally flattered with this picture of himself and it 1s small wonder the public clung to the Romantic tradition long after it had ceased to be anything but rules and gestures. Gustave Courbet had aroused a storm of protest in 1850, with his pictures, sO superbly painted of the simple people about him in their work-a-day clothes. Such sub- jects were not considered sufficiently noble or inspired to be painted. The beauty and dignity of labor was a lesson yet to be learned. Millet later in “The Angelus” and “The Sower’, so well known in America, was to be re- fused admittance at the Salon because his subjects were “ignoble.” This tendency was called Naturalism and considered a form of anarchy. It can hardly be said to have become a movement but it marks a degree in the de- velopment of Rousseau’s influence. Courbet’s explosions of dissatisfaction at things political and artistic were many and included the first in~ 7 dependent exhibition of paintings in Paris. It was entirely of his own work and given on the occasion of the Exposi- tion Universelle in 1855, as a protest against the jury's decisions. Such independence was condemned by his fel- low artists and the public, who considered it a political and revolutionary act. The danger of being judged in this be ; manner gave a tragic importance to being admitted to the official Salon of that day. The official jury of the Salon 1863 having proved | even more severe than usual, a number of older artists, already recognized, joined in the protest of those whose paintings had been refused a showin ; and Napoleon III permitted an exhibition, called “Sa on des Refusés,” in another part of the P alais de VP Industrie, where the official Salon was held. Manet and Whistler were unquestionably the two most prominent exhibitors—M anet showing that master- piece “Dejeuner sur l Herbe”, and Whistler his lovely “Lady in White”. The public came in large numbers but only to amuse itself, Bursts of laughter, jeers and ridicule were their only response to the pictures. Whistler returned to London, never to exhibit officially again in Paris. Manet became the most conspicuous man of the moment. This was not the fame and recognition he had worked for, but an un~ pleasant notoriety. Nevertheless, he was the idol of the younger painters and writers, and when at the Exposition Universelle, 1867, he followed Courbet’s example and Save an exhibition of his Own canvases, they flocked to it, . seeing in his work the expression of sO much that was in sympathy with their own ideals. A group formed around Manet in which were Zola, Mallarmé, Forain, Pissarro, Degas, Stevens, Monet, Ce- zanne: Sisley, Renoir and others, all men still little known but a goodly proportion of the best among the younger gen~ eration. In spite of all degrees and differences of opinion they were inspired by the same enthusiasms and general tendencies toward Realism, and bound together by the struggle against similar difficulties. It 1s very doubtful whether the writers and jour~ nalists of the group had any real appreciation of the abilities of the artists but in waging their own battle for Realism, they prepared the ground for the others. Un- able to inflict very deadly wounds with pen or brush the artists were obliged to make their protest by outrag- ing public opinion, and in 1874 a group exhibition was finally decided upon. The purpose was a most natural one; merely a chance to show their work and they were justified in adopting this means. The almost constant rebellions and wars since that first cry of Liberty in 1789, the Franco-Prussian in- vasion, with the Commune just ended, had left the F rench people, especially in Paris, unusually sensitive to any~ thing in the manner of a protest. On the advice of Degas the exhibition was general in character and could be said in no way to represent a school or creed. Everything was done not to present a revolutionary appearance. All these precautions were in vain, and if from the very opening the exhibition was crowded, it was not to look at the canvases of Boudin, Gaston~Latouche, Lépine, de Nittis, Guillemet or the other painters already accepted and admired. The merci-~ less ridicule which greeted the works of Degas, Cezanne, Renoir, Monet and the others would have been over- whelming to less strong and intelligent men. The atten- tion shown them was either ribald or distinctly hostile, and the art critics were no kinder. One man, Louis Leroy, in an effort to convey his idea of their complete lack of technical skill and accomplishment, seized upon a small e 2 ee unpretentious canvas of Monet's, a risin gsun, called ““Im- e 97 e e es e e ression , to point the moral of his criticism. P P The word ““Tmpressionism was accepted with such ardor by the public that it achieved a career of its own. Tits tise was swilt, and it had a brilliant apogee; penetrat~ ing even into the language of P hilosophy. Its decline was gradual and its end is not yet. This word, intended to convey an idea of ignorance and lack of skill was at first disliked by the men it had been used to describe. They quite understood that their art was perhaps the most intellectual the world had yet known—more reflection and less expression in contrast to the emotional Romantic School, so lacking in depth and RY @) lavish in expression. In 1876 when a second exhibition was given they made no effort to submerge their art in the general millieu. Only nineteen of the original thirty were left, and these the most conspicuous part. Two years had developed and accentuated the characteristics which distinguished the group, known now by the press and public only as Im- pressionists. M. Durand-Ruel, gst Sreat courage and kindness, offered them the hospitality of his gallery, but even with this valuable aid they were unable to influence public opinion, and the indignation, opposition and ridicule be- came more violent and general, as their notoriety grew. The paintings shown there in 1876 are today in the Sreat museums and collections of the world. The event was of the utmost importance in Nineteenth Century Art. If the public failed to understand, they can certainly be forgiven when recognized authorities like Albert M. Wolf wrote in Le F igaro the following notice: © The Rue Le Peletier is not fortunate. After the fire at the Opera a new disaster has fallen upon the quarter. An ex- hibition has just opened at the Gallery Durand-Ruel that is said to be of painting. The eyes of the innocent passer- by who enters receive a cruel shock at the spectacle. F ive or six deranged people, one a woman, have chosen this rendezvous to show their works. These pretended artists called ‘Impressionists’, take their canvases and their col- ors, and throwing them all together sign the result, just as one deprived of reason might pick up stones in his path and believe he had found diamonds,” The stones, however, have proved to be diamonds. A canvas of Monet's’ Canala Saarden’’, bought by Daubigny (who recognized Monet's genius), from M. Durand-Ruel, for the sum of four hundred francs proved to be one instance. After Daubigny’s death, at the sale of his paintings in 1878, Theodore Duret, finding no trace of this picture which he desired to acquire, supposed that the heirs had wished to retain it. F ifteen days later, en~ tering an auction room at the Hotel Drouot, he found the effects of an old studio—palettes, easels, soiled and — torn old canvases, and among them the “Canal a Saarden”’ ra by Monet: all these the contents of Daubigny’s studio. His heirs thinking the canvas would dishonor the sale had entered it here. It was sold to Duret for forty-five francs, and when it came up in Duret’s sale in 1894, was purchased by M. Durand-Ruel for the sum of five thou- sand francs; sold to M. Decap, and brought at his sale in 1904 , thirty thousand francs. During the years when the Impressionist pictures were unsaleable, and those among the artists without other means of support endured many privations, their work was never modified in any way, and circumstances ‘ were cheerfully borne for the glory of their art; inspired always by their inward vision. Sf The friends ofthese years were few but staunch. M. Caillebotte, a painter, who was also a banker, not only exhibited with them but bought their pictures and left his fine collection, worth millions of francs, to the State. It is now in the Musée du Luxembourg. ; sa M. Choquet, painted sO magnificently by both Cezanne and Renoir, was an ardent friend from the first 7 days, and bought pictures at the expense of necessary arm overcoats. hes, M. Durand-Ruel has been their greatest sigepatey er from 1876 until today, and all through those first years : : % when it was impossible to sell anything, continued to buy until his cash box was actually empty. T tion of 1882 given by M. Durand-Ruel, Bo c Madeleine, Paris, was the first i in aaheen a clan | cee public was paceeahle Time was working for | pressionists, and a new generation was rising, tha new channels for i its enthusiasms and ches oth academic conventions. ‘ Today when ‘ ‘Impressionism” i 1s iodo 1 ardor and admiration, one despairs of revealing it scattered details the story of these men, own name, but dominated by unmistakable individuality searing a mode of expression that would respon actly to his conception, and followed more closely fee imitators and schools that came later than they can in ev be said to ce followed each other. - PaINTINGs / MARY CASSATT 1847-1926 sia Mere, bebé et petite fille | ae Loaned by Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer PAUL CEZANNE Ba bi 1839-1906 : 2 . Nature morte Loaned anonymously Se Un pre, 1892 f Loaned by Durand-Ruel EDGAR DEGAS 1834-1917 f Entrée i. masques. Pp astel oaned anonymously J AG champ de courses | de _ Loaned by Durand-Ruel br Le petit déjeuner a la sortie du bain, 1883. Pastel ~ Loaned by Durand-Ruel 10. 11. te, es EDOUARD MANET 1832-1883 e Les bulles de savon Loaned by Mr. Adolph Lewisohn. . Tate d’ enfant—F illette. Pastel Loaned by Mr. Chester Dale? . Le combat de taureaux, 1866 Loaned anonymously CLAUDE MONET 1840-1926 Antibes, 1888 Loaned by Mrs. a ibe Coburn La cathédrale de Rouen, 1894 Loaned by Mr. Chester Dale> La Seine a Argenteuil, 1875 Loaned by Durand Ttuel BERTHE MORISOT 1841-1895 Le lever, 1885 Loaned by Durand-Ruel CAMILLE PISSARRO 1830-1903 14. Le grande route, 187] darned anonymously RP Jardin des Tuileries, 1900 : Loaned by Durand-Ruel ey? 4 AUGUSTE RENOIR 1841-1919 16. La tasse de chocolat, 1879 el oaned anonymously A? si Baigneuse, 1885 Loaned anonymously 18. Femme dans un jardin ‘ Loaned by Durand-Ruel 19. Femme couchée, 1903 Loaned by Durand-Ruel ALFRED SISLEY 1840-1899 me Gecanal du Loing, 1884 is Loaned anonymously 1: Les derniéres feuilles, 1883 aa Loaned by Durand-Ruel ae ae, lent their pictures, ie t Chester Dale, who has donated this cat "33125 01032 5377