The Birth of Impressionism at the de Young
Monday, July 12, 2010 at 6:58PM 
Arrangement in Gray and Black No. 1, Portrait of the Artist's Mother 1871, James Abbott McNeill Whistler
As we approach Bastille Day in the middle of this week, it's only appropriate to talk about the French invasion currently in effect over in Golden Gate Park at the de Young. The museum's latest blockbuster show entitled The Birth of Impressionism is here in San Francisco by special partnership with Paris' Musée d'Orsay, whose collection of Pre-Impressionist and Impressionist works make up the exhibition.
As someone who spent many hours and weeks studying this very era of art history during college, I am always a fan of any show that will bring me closer to such great works of art. The fact that it's in my own city makes it even more extraordinary! One of the defining memories of my young life consists of visiting the old de Young back in 1986 when the monumental Impressionist show, The New Painting, visited San Francisco. That year for my birthday I received the huge exhibition monograph from my parents, and it's been in my collection of art books ever since. In college, I studied art and art history, and when I spent a year at the Sorbonne, I especially loved visiting the Impressionist floor at the d'Orsay.
;)
The Floor Scrapers, 1875. Gustave Caillebotte
This new show at the de Young offers an interesting perspective by showing the type of formal, classical works preferred by France's official Salon during the advent of Impressionism. These works drew their influence from Spanish artists (and feature a dominance of the color black); classical and mythological motifs; and set a standard for realistic techniques. An amazing array of these Pre-Impressionist pieces make up the first half of the show. Then, we cross over into the world of Impressionism, whose light palette, loose brushwork, and quotidien motifs are a breath of fresh air compared to the somber tone of the first group. In this way, the show effectively illustrates the significance of Impressionism in art history: it was so unlike anything that came before that people needed to re-learn how to see art anew.
Once one enters the second half of the show with the Impressionist works, one sees some very famous paintings: The Dancing Lesson by Degas, The Swing by Renoir, The Floor Scrapers by Caillebotte, The Cradle by Cassatt, and many many works by the great Impressionist, Monet. Seeing these works is like visiting old friends; their imagery is now so familiar to our modern age, yet seeing them in person is still profoundly moving. This alone is reason enough to visit this exhibition. For children especially, this show will certainly make an indelible memory. Having such significant works in the show is indeed a coup for the de Young, and the curators should be congratulated on gathering these important pieces.
Turkeys, 1877. Claude Monet
Yet, for all of the wonder this exhbition offers, a few curatorial points give me pause. Most art historians agree that the actual "birth" of Impressionism resides with a handful of very specific works of art. The series of paintings made at La Grenoullière by Monet and Renoir, as well as the groundbreaking Manet painting known as Luncheon on the Grass; these are clearly delineated as the beginnings of the movement. None of these works are represented here, which was a singular disappointment to me. Because of this, I also find the title of The Birth of Impressionism a trifle misleading. The exhibition shows what Salon painting was like before these works came about, and what art became afterward. Yet, the actual moment of "birth" is not shown, nor indeed even mentioned. (To be fair, Luncheon on the Grass and Olympia, both by Manet are mentioned in Stéphane Guégan's essay in the exhbition monograph, but they are not a part of the actual show. Also, the famous La Grenouillère paintings by Monet and Renoir are located in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Nationalmuseum Stockholm, respectively.) I can understand that Luncheon on the Grass may be too important a work to be allowed to travel, however I found this to be a glaring omission given the specific scope of the show. Even a simple mention of these works would have been sufficient to make a smooth transition from Pre-Impressionism to high Impressionism.
Despite this point, (which may be more of a personal sticking point than a truly important one,) The Birth of Impressionism should not be missed. These pieces are not likely to travel outside of France again any time soon, so everyone should take advantage of their visit to the de Young. This exhibition will be here until September 2, 2010, when it will be immediately replaced with an exhibition of Post-Impressionist pieces, also from the Musée d'Orsay. So, to enjoy the full scope of these momentous shows, you must plan your visit now!
For some extra fun, the de Young has planned some special events around the exhibition. This Wednesday night, ArtPoint is hosting French Kiss: ArtPoint's Bastille Day Celebration, with exhibition viewing, absinthe cocktails, and dancing with Bardot a Go Go. Also, on Thursday nights for the duration of the show, the museum offers extended viewing hours until 8:45 PM. Impressionism at Twilight also features reduced admission prices and a special French prix fixe menu in the museum cafe.
Any way you plan it, The Birth of impressionism will surely stay with you long after your time at the musem!
Caillebotte, Impressionism, Monet, art, de Young, museums in Milieu & Metier 
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