Impressionism and Post-Impressionism

In this course we will examine the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movements that evolved in France during the second half of the 19th century. Looking at artists such as Manet, Degas, Cassatt, and Monet, as well as Cézanne, Van Gogh, Seurat, and Gauguin, we will place their work in social and historical contexts that include the rise of the city, new opportunities for leisure, demographic change, and the breakdown of artistic establishments. When appropriate we will compare visual artistic production to parallel developments in literature and music. 3 hrs. lect.