Review by Choice Review
Imagine: Monet, Degas/Cassatt, Sargent--French Impressionists? During the mid- to late-19th century, Americans crowded the City of Light to apprentice in the fresh French movement, Impressionism. Many French painters, schooled at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, collided with the Americans, citing that they lacked skills and were simply in it for the commerce. Deemed "annoying" and "disturbing," the American robust passion to capture the movement would not wane. The indelible influence of French painters helped create an international cultural language, splintering from the European model. "The Americanization of Impressionism," the American vernacular adaptation of French Impressionism, commenced in New York with concurrent exhibitions. Interest was staggering, exciting many wealthy Americans wanting more art from across the sea. Masters of Light, an exquisite selection from the Manoogian Collection, captures the essence of the American movement. Sharp (director of visual arts, Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, Mt. Vernon, IL) clearly illustrates the French and American donations to Impressionism. The 30 paintings by 24 artists represent a slice of the independent, explosive passion American artists had to express. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. General readers; lower- and upper-division undergraduates. J. E. Gaydos University of Pittsburgh at Titusville
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
