1874: The Birth of Impressionism is a documentary film which premiered in 2023. In 2024, it was shown on French and German television (arte).
The French title is
1874, la naissance de l’impressionisme
The German title is
1874: Geburtsstunde des Impressionismus
Here is some basic information about this film:
** Writers and directors: Julien Johan and Hugues Nancy
** Narrator of the German version: Irina Wanka
** Language: French or German
** Subtitles: French or German
** Run time: 95 minutes
In this film, we get to meet the artists who were the founders of the movement which became known as impressionism.
** Frédéric Bazille (1841-1870)
** Paul Cézanne (1839-1906)
** Edgar Degas (1834-1917)
** Claude Monet (1840-1926)
** Berthe Morisot (1841-1895)
** Camille Pissarro (1830-1903)
** Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919)
** Alfred Sisley (1839-1899)
We get to meet a reporter who was willing to defend the revolutionary artists:
Emile Zola (1840-1902)
He was a respected reporter who had a regular column. But when he used his column to say something positive about the revolutionary artists, he was censored and his column was cancelled.
We also get to meet an art dealer who was willing to support the revolutionary painters:
Paul Durand-Ruel (1831-1922)
Edouard Manet (1832-1883) was close to the painters who founded impressionism, but when they asked him to join their first exhibition, he said no.
He was hoping to be accepted by the official Salon and he did not want jeopardize his chances by joining the rebels.
Berthe Morisot was the only woman whose works were on display at the first exhibition in 1874. All other artists who participated were men.
The birth of impressionism was a long process which took around ten years: from 1864 to 1874.
The decision to form a group of artists and to arrange an independent exhibition was made in 1873.
They needed to find a suitable location and they wanted other artists to join them if they were ready to do this.
The location chosen was on Boulevard des Capucines in Paris. They rented several rooms on two floors. Every artist who wanted to join could chose his or her own items. Most artists chose between five and ten items.
The official opening of the independent exhibition was on 15 April 1874. Around 200 items made by around 30 artists were on display.
When the exhibition was reviewed in the French press, the critics were harsh. The artists were regarded as amateurs and their paintings were ridiculed.
How was the name impressionism created?
One critic (Louis Leroy) commented on a painting by Claude Monet. The title of the painting was Impression, Sunrise.
Leroy said: it gives an impression. This is true. But it looks like an unfinished painting, like a sketch. It is not a real painting.
Having made this remark about one painting, he commented on all the works on display and said: they are all impressionist.
The critic wanted to show his contempt. It was a satirical remark. But the artists liked the word impressionism. They decided to use the word about their work.
In this way, the negative term was transformed into a positive term.
In the beginning, the impressionist painters were met with criticism, but after a while, they were accepted.
Twenty-five years later, around 1900, impressionism had become a well-known and respected term.
This film covers the birth of impressionism. The story is interesting. It deserves to be told, and in this film, it is done very well.
Having said this, I must mention a minor flaw. Around one hour and three minutes into the film, the narrator mentions the Paris Commune of 1871.
According to the narrator, the Paris Commune was proclaimed in May 1871. This is not true.
The Paris Commune was proclaimed on 18 March and it was defeated on 28 May 1871. But this minor flaw will not influence my overall rating.
What do reviewers say about this film?
On IMDb it has a rating of 78 percent. In my opinion, this rating is too low.
I want to go all the way to the top with this product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars (100 percent).
PS. This film is available on the website of arte tv from 26 March to 25 September 2024.
REFERENCES
# 1. Film and video
Understanding Art: Impressionism
A television series with four episodes
(2011)
Berthe Morisot
A historical drama which premiered in 2013
** Director = Caroline Champetier
** Run time = 94 minutes
Pissarro: The Father of Impressionism
Exhibition on Screen
Run time = 94 minutes
(2022)
# 2. Books
Monet
Taschen - Basic Art
By Christoph Heinrich
(2015)
Degas
Taschen - Basic Art
By Bernd Growe
(2016)
Cézanne
Taschen - Basic Art
By Ulrike Becks-Malorny
(2016)
Renoir
Taschen - Basic Art
By Peter H. Feist
(2016)
The Impressionists:
Their Lives and Works in 350 Images
By Robert Katz and Celestine Dars
(2016)
Impressionism
Taschen – Basic Art
By Karin H. Grimme
(2017)
Impressionism:
The Movement That Transformed Western Art
By Veronique Bouruet Aubortot
(2017)
Manet
Taschen – Basic Art
By Gilles Nerét
(2022)
*****
Impression, Sunrise
painted by Claude Monet in 1872
This painting is the origin of the term
impressionism
*****
On this blog:
My review of
the historical drama about
Berthe Morisot
(2013)
*****
