Studies in Impressionism

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

French impressionists had fervent friends and loyal supporters. Chief among their promoters was Paul Durand-Ruel, an art dealer who bought their pictures steadily even when he wasn't able to sell them. Then there was Victor Chocquet, a collector who maintained a 15-year friendship with Cezanne and purchased many of his canvases. In this miscellany of essays and articles, some of which are translated from French for the first time, noted art historian Rewald (The History of Impressionism looks at various Impressionists' personal and familial relationships. While most of the pieces are marginal or slight, the graceful writing and an abundance of illustrations hold the reader's interest. One essay limns Parisian journalist Edmond Renoir, brother of the painter, who wrote a glowing review of Auguste's first one-man show. Other articles deal with Degas's inventive realism in racetrack and cafe scenes, unjustly forgotten French artist Achille Emperaire and Cezanne's tug-of-war with his authoritarian father. (April)

Library Journal

Weitzenhoffer. illus., some color. index. $37.50. art Among the significant contributors to the enjoyment, appreciation, and understanding of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art and artists during the past 50 years, it is surely John Rewald who stands foremost in both the general and scholarly publics' minds as the authority. Those with an interest in these subjects are certainly familiar with Rewald's monumental studies, The History of Impressionism (1946) and Post-Impressionismfrom Van Gogh to Gau guin (1956) as well as, to varying degrees, with his numerous monographs and exhibition catalogs. His essays and articles may be the least well known, and, thus, we are most fortunate to have 18 of them brought together in these companion volumes. Combining short pieces with a number of substantial ones, some of which have never before been translated from French, they treat a wide variety of topics and artists, with a significant number devoted to Cezanne and to Degas. Whether in the two longeston ``Choquet and Cezanne'' and ``Theo Van Gogh as Art Dealer''or in the 16 shorter articles, Rewald's love for his subjects is conveyed by a meticulous attention to his material and by a lucid and direct style. These two books succeed in making Rewald's scholarly oeuvre even more accessible than before. Recommended for public, academic, and museum libraries. Jeffrey Weidman, Oberlin Coll. Libs., Ohio

From Barnes & Noble

An acclaimed art historian delves into the life & art of the Impressionists. Topics include Auguste Renoir & his brother, Degas & his family in New Orleans, the Impressionist "brush," & more. 7 3/4" x 10 1/2". B&W & color illus., b&w photos.