The judgment of Paris : the revolutionary decade that gave the world Impressionism /

King offers a fascinating, well-written account of the beginning of modernism in Paris during a decade that spanned the scandalous Salon des Refuses in 1863 and the first Impressionist show in 1874. Against the background of Napoleon III's Second Empire and the Franco-Prussian War, Impressionism was born. Arguably the most profound directional shift in Western art since the Renaissance, its cast of characters is impressive: Baudelaire, Cabanel, Cezanne, Courbet, Degas, Delacroix, Gautier, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Whistler, and Zola, among others. From this group the author singles out two: the famous, well-established Ernest Meissonier, a precise, well-schooled, academic artist devoted to history, and the often-reviled Edouard Manet, an independent artist whose unconventional approach to technique and subject matter ushered in a true revolution in art. Despite the scorn and derision of the establishment, Impressionism thrived and challenged the past's obsession with perspectival space, traditional technique, and the concept of mastery itself. King's narrative follows the lives of the artists, models, and writers as they negotiated outraged critics, salon juries, and accusations of "moral depravity and carnal eloquence." Well illustrated, with notes and an excellent index, this readable, scholarly work is a solid addition to any collection. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. General readers; lower-division undergraduates through professionals. R. M. Davis emeritus, Albion College

King is a master at linking pivotal moments in art history to epic rivalries. n his third supremely engaging and illuminating inquiry (following Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling, 2003), King summons forth mid-nineteenth-century Paris and vividly portrays two diametrically opposed artists. Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier, the world's wealthiest and most celebrated painter, spends years laboring over his meticulously detailed historical paintings, eliminating every trace of the brush and striving for scientific precision. Newcomer Edouard Manet dispenses with the historical claptrap and the highly polished finish that are Meissonier's stock in trade, and boldly creates sharp contrasts and vigorous brushstrokes to depict ordinary people and brazenly matter-of-fact female nudes. Meissonier is a crowd-pleaser, Manet nearly instigates riots. King follows the fortunes of this pair of celebrity artists over the course of a decade as Meissonier becomes a giant to be slain and Manet is anointed king of the impressionists. Writing with zest and a remarkable command of diverse and fascinating facts, and offering keen insights into the matrix of art, politics, social mores, and technology, King charts the coalescence of a movement that changed not only painting for all time but also our way of seeing the world. And perhaps most laudably, he resurrects a discredited and forgotten figure, the marvelous monomaniac Meissonier, a man King has bemused affection and respect for, and an artist readers will be delighted to learn about. --Donna Seaman Copyright 2005 Booklist

NBCC finalist King (Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling) presents an engrossing account of the years from 1863-when paintings denied entry into the French Academy's yearly Salon were shown at the Salon des Refuses-to 1874, the date of the first Impressionist exhibition. To dramatize the conflict between academicians and innovators during these years, he follows the careers of two formidable, and very different, artists: Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier, a conservative painter celebrated for detailed historical subjects, and Edouard Manet, whose painting Le Dejeuner sur l'herbe caused an uproar at the Salon des Refuses. Many other artists of the day, among them Courbet, Degas, Morisot, Monet and Cezanne, are included in King's compelling narrative, and the story is further enhanced by the author's vivid portrayal of artistic life in Paris during a turbulent era that saw the siege of the city by the Prussians and the fall of Napoleon III. An epilogue underscores the irony of the tale: after his death, Meissonier quickly fell from favor, while Manet, whose paintings were once judged scandalous, was recognized as a great artist who set the stage for Impressionism and the future of painting. Illus. not seen by PW. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Best-selling author King (Brunelleschi's Dome) does not disappoint with this fast-paced romp through the Parisian art scene between 1863 (the first Salon des Refuses exhibition) and 1874 (the first impressionist exhibition). Political upheaval and public scandal set the background for artistic endeavors, which King cleverly frames with two diverse figures who seem to share only initials: Ernest Meissonier (representing the successful old guard) and Edouard Manet (the radical provocateur of the new order). While many artists and paintings are touched on, King's approach will surely disappoint scholars looking to explore the artwork itself in any critical depth; this is not a work of art historical acumen. King diligently assembles a swath of anecdotes and evidence, coaxing lively color and fascinating detail from even the most stolid of historical facts and documents. The book serves as an entertaining if broad account of a revolutionary transformation in vision-not least of all through art. Recommended for general audiences.-Prudence Peiffer, Cambridge, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A fluid, engaging account of how the conflicting careers of two French painters--the popular establishment favorite Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier and the oft-reviled newcomer Édouard Manet--reveal the slow emergence of Impressionism and its new view of painting and the world. King, a novelist (Domino, 2002, etc.) and art historian (Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling, 2003, etc.), has crafted an exciting chronicle about political and cultural change. By shifting the light of his research from Meissonier (whose career is now at its nadir) to Manet (whose paintings now go for millions of dollars) and back again, the author illuminates an entire epoch. Many great characters in cultural history appear--Baudelaire, Zola, Henry James--not to mention the painters whose names are now Olympian. Delacroix, Monet, Cézanne, Rossetti, Renoir--they all strut a bit on King's stage, as do political figures, most notably Napoleon III. The author does not neglect the military history of the period. There is a chapter-long narrative about the brutal Franco-Prussian War, during which Meissonier and Manet met while serving with the National Guard. (The war's bloody aftermath earns another chapter.) During the protracted Siege of Paris both artists found time to sketch and eat increasingly unappetizing forms of protein. But King's focus is on the art world--especially on the annual Salons, whose politics and popular reactions King thoroughly explores. Of great interest is the savage reception (including laughter and disgust and disdain--even from friends) that Manet endured year after year at the Salons. (He fought a feckless duel with one critic.) A weaker man might have considered another career. King illustrates that the clash of ideas is even more exciting than the clang of swords. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.