The French Review

This beautifully illustrated book is the catalog of an exhibit held at the Denver Art Museum in 2021–22. In addition to reproductions of the paintings displayed, there are six essays by leading French and American art scholars. The subject is the story of the large number of American artists who went to Paris in the second half of the nineteenth century to perfect their study of the techniques of painting. Some Americans were able to enroll at the École des Beaux-Arts, but admission was limited to men until the end of the century. Women and other men studied at the more liberal ateliers like the Académie Julian. They all sought to have their works accepted for display at the official Salons held every year. Such acceptance gave artists the seal of recognition and made their paintings more commercially attractive to collectors. They also exhibited in other venues, like the Salon des Refusés. Mary Cassatt was a participant in several of the Impressionist exhibits held between 1874 and 1886. These Americans came into contact with two conflicting ideals of art during their sojourns in France. In the art schools they learned traditional academic painting techniques that emphasized clear delineation of form and perfection of finish. At the same time, they were surrounded by the new Impressionist group that sought to capture the fleeting play of light in a blaze of color. It is noteworthy that each American artist was able to create his/her own synthesis out of these artistic ideologies. All of them combined in their individual way traditional smoothness of finish and/or the more contemporary freedom of brush strokes with typically American themes and landscapes. One group of artists, who called themselves The Ten and joined forces near the turn of the century, exemplified this ability of American painters to choose from among the French influences as they each created their unique styles. Another significant American artist was the African-American Henry Ossawa Tanner. Like later Black American cultural leaders in the twentieth century, Tanner decided to remain in France because he was able to find the recognition there that he was unable to obtain in his own country. Within this collection of essays, Suzanne Singletary’s study of Whistler will be of particular interest to teachers of French culture. She explores how Théophile Gautier’s theory of l’art pour l’art and Charles Baudelaire’s philosophy of universal correspondances influenced Whistler’s tonal style of painting colors on canvas. With their concept of synesthésie, these authors inspired Whistler to impress upon his viewers the musical quality of his visual creations. Susan J. Rawles’s essay studies the careers of women artists from America. She devotes much attention to Mary Cassatt, but also reveals other prominent individuals like Elizabeth Gardner (who married French painter and teacher Bouguereau), Elizabeth Nourse, Lila Cabot Perry, and Cecilia Beaux. They all struggled heroically to overcome the stereotypical domestic role traditionally imposed on women. They succeeded in gaining recognition for women artists in the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. [End Page 196]