Studies in Impressionism

If you have a great love for Impressionist painting and want to know about the artists and the people that surrounded them you will enjoy this book. Mr. Rewald had previously written very in-depth books concerning the histories of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. This book is a collection of essays concerning the Impressionists and does repeat some of the information contained in Rewald's "History Of Impressionism" but also gives a more detailed look at some topics in that book, such as Cezanne's relationship with his father and his friendships with the collector Victor Chocquet and with his fellow (and pretty much unknown) artist Achille Emperaire. There is also an essay about Paul Durand-Ruel, the dealer who stuck with the Impressionists through the early years when you basically couldn't even give their stuff away and there is a short essay about the oldest (and least well-known) Impressionist, Camille Pissarro. Pissarro pretty much lived a life of poverty until he was in his 60's but had a very fulfilling artistic and personal life (he was happily married and had many children) and his modesty and easygoing personality enabled him to get along with his fellow artists and even to be somewhat of a mentor to the notoriously difficult Cezanne. I would say that this book is not for the person who is going in with no previous knowledge of the artists and the movement, but if you already know a bit and want to learn more or if you have read other books by Mr. Rewald you will not be disappointed. For those of you who are new to Mr. Rewald I think you will enjoy his style of writing. He writes with the descriptive flair of a novelist and he does not use art-world graduate school style jargon. If you really want to immerse yourself in the world of these great artists I would suggest you also check out Mr. Rewald's "History Of Impressionism" and his excellent biography of Cezanne.