Impressionism, an Intimate View: Small French Paintings in the National Gallery of Art, Washington

The Small French Painting exhibit is in an obscure part of the National Gallery and I almost missed it. What a tragedy that would have been! They are very small paintings, in its own little gallery and not heavily visited the day I was there. The paintings are interesting and very impressive. All the famous impressionist painters are represented. This book makes a wonderful souvenir for a trip to the gallery and an nice present for fans of the impressionists. The pictures of the paintings are brightly colored and very attractive. I think they are good reproductions of them. I am happy I picked up this book.

This handy little book (its hardback edition a little gem of beautiful colours and of fine, glossy paper) presents the art lover with a compact, intelligent collection of lesser-known works by the French Impressionists: these are all part of a group of small-sized, `intimate' paintings belonging to the National Gallery of Art (Washington) and bequeathed by American collectors (the Mellon and Bruce families; Chester Dale; Joseph Widener...). The nearly eighty pages make up what in French might be called a "catalogue raisonné" of small-sized, "intimiste" paintings of French Impressionist art. Giving reasons for the emphasis on "plein air" first laid by Corot, it goes on to present us with small canvases, carton sketches, studies... of what came to be known as the 'Impressionist' group (Monet, Pissarro, Sisley, Renoir, Cézanne, Degas, Berthe Morisot...). The book proceeds in mainly chronological order -concentrating mostly on works by true `Impressionists'- but ends with an interesting evocation of what was to follow: Gauguin and the `Nabis' (Vuilliard and Bonnard), Matisse and the `Fauvistes', Dufy's early "Fauviste" paintings... One factor is common to all of these: the `intimate' treatment of the painter's subject matter. The text, both detailed and clear, is cleverly didactic, fresh as the paintings it comments- explanatory, yet fine in style. Most important of all: the paintings. Each page of this brilliant little book brings us yet one more lovely gem of 19th century French Impressionism: the book numbers close to 60 delightful -and remarkably printed- reproductions (as well as several photographs showing Pissarro, Cézanne, Gauguin...). The wealth of the book's themes (nature scenes; domestic and family scenes; self-portraits; still-lifes...) is quite impressive, for such a seemingly modest book. For the art lover -and however much he may already know about smaller works of the French Impressionists- this book will be a source of much pleasure; and he will love to reach for it, time and time again.