Impressionism, 1977 Coffee Table Book with Color Plates from Manet, Monet, Cezanne, Degas and more

Impressionism art large coffee table book by Pierre Courthion, Vintage from 1977 with 154 illustrations including 45 large full color plates from Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Camille Pissaro, Paul Cezanne, Edgar Degas, Mary Casatt, Renoir and more. Surveys the development of impressionist art; the movement, the masters, the precursors and the followers.

See below for notes on condition and bibliographic info.

From the inside cover: "The Impressionists developed a new way of seeing. They celebrated light and its effects, seeking to capture pure visual sensation. Turning away from the weighty subjects and dark, glossy hues of their con-temporaries, they brought their easels out of doors and painted landscapes drenched in dazzling sunlight or shrouded in mist or twilight, nudes at the seashore, streets bedecked with flags, couples dancing. Their technical means— delicate pastel shades, brilliant color juxtapositions, and, later, Pointillism, were derided at first by critics accustomed to Classical and Romantic works, but Impressionism has now become the most beloved and sought after of all art styles. No history of modern art could be written without reference to its revolutionary impact.
Pierre Courthion, distinguished authority on nineteenth and twentieth-century art, offers a fascinating account of the movement, starting with its fore-runners-Turner, Delacroix, Corot, and the artists of the Barbizon School-tracing its development both through its major exponents in France and its more incidental influence on such artists as Bonington and Max Liebermann, and concluding with Cezanne, Gau-guin, and Van Gogh, and its transformation by Seurat and the other Neo-Impressionists. He fills in the historical background with extensive quotations from contemporary witnesses and the artists themselves, and with a wealth of biographical anecdotes. His detailed commentaries on individual paintings convey to the reader his own pleasure in these great works of art.
Forty-five major paintings are reproduced in full color, and over one hundred more are illustrated in black-and-white. A selection of graphic works, a chronology of events and exhibitions, and a selected bibliography round out the volume."

C O N D I T I O N
Book is in good vintage condition, pages are bold and bright, free of marks or foxing. It looks like at some point the teal dye from the hard cover bled a little, on the inner cover and maybe a cm along the edge of the first 20 pages.
The dust jacket shows some wear— shelf and edge wear, small tears, chips, The actual hardcover looks great.

B I B L I O G R A P H I C D E T A I L S
Impressionism by Pierre Courthion
Translated by John Shepley
Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers, New York
Published in 1977
160 pages, printed and bound in Japan
Dark Teal cloth hardcover with gilt lettering on spine
Measures 12" x 9" x 3/4"

***All books ship Media Mail so please allow 3-8 days for processing and shipping. If you need them sooner please note that standard shipping rates will apply.

please keep in mind when buying any of our items that vintage means they’ve lived long lives before finding their way to you and are preloved unless otherwise specified. signs of wear, use and age are to be expected and add to the character of the piece.

we do our best to accurately and honestly describe all of our items and will always point out major flaws like cracks, chips, missing pieces, abnormal wear, etc.

photos are the most crucial part of an item’s description. be sure to look at all photos and please zoom in. we are happy to send along more, just ask!

follow us on instagram for first dibs and vintage interior inspiration: @transistor.sisters