DOCSLIB.ORG

Comparing the Cologne Sonderbund of 1912 and the Second Post-Impressionist Exhibition in London Alexandra Timonina Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia, Italia

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Comparing the Cologne Sonderbund of 1912 and the Second Post-Impressionist Exhibition in London Alexandra Timonina Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia, Italia Taking and Denying Challenging Canons in Arts and Philosophy edited by Giovanni Argan, Maria Redaelli, Alexandra Timonina Comparing the Cologne Sonderbund of 1912 and the Second Post-Impressionist Exhibition in London Alexandra Timonina Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia, Italia Abstract The article examines the agendas of the International Art Exhibition of the West German Sonderbund held in Cologne in 1912 and the Second Post-Impressionist Exhibition organised in London the same year, by contrasting their historical contexts and comparing their theoretical backgrounds. While the shows varied slightly in ap- proach, both sought to give a systematic overview of the latest trends in art, which was then marketed mainly by private dealers. They addressed similar issues, such as defining the inherited tradition and topical dilemmas about the autonomy of painting and its decorative potential. The paper will discuss the emphasis on the progressive timeline and international outlook on modern art they formulated. It will also revisit the role of these exhibitions in light of the currently expanding discussion of the mechanisms that shaped the canon of European modernism. Keywords Modernism. Canon. Expressionism. Post-Impressionism. Roger Fry. Summary 1 Tracing Genealogies within the Turn-of-the Century Art Exhibitions. – 2 The Sonderbund Model. Between the Marketplace and Secessionist Rhetoric. – 3 Transformations of Roger Fry’s Project. – 4 Modernist Canons and the Use of History. Quaderni di Venezia Arti 4 ISBN [ebook] 978-88-6969-462-2 | ISBN [print] 978-88-6969-463-9 Edizioni Open access 255 Ca’Foscari Published 2020-12-22 © 2020 Creative Commons 4.0 Attribution alone DOI 10.30687/978-88-6969-462-2/013 Alexandra Timonina Comparing the Cologne Sonderbund of 1912 and the Second Post-Impressionist Exhibition in London We know, of course, that there are affinities between modern artists and their remotest ancestors […]. It is just the greatest art of all ages that shows those affinities, nay more, that lives by them. (Meier-Graefe [1904] 1908, 1: 4) 1 Tracing Genealogies within the Turn-of-the-Century Art Exhibitions The impact of exhibitions on the spread of modernist movements is now seen as pivotal. Critical examination of art exhibitions be- gan in the 1950s and was concurrent with studies of the World Fairs and the historical reevaluation of early twentieth-century art. Since then, the history of European modernism has often been present- ed as a process marked by a series of groundbreaking exhibitions, starting with one or another decisive art event. Much literature on the subject has reproduced this progressive scheme by bringing to- gether a sequence of case studies that largely emphasise the global character of the artistic process in Europe at the turn of the centu- ry. There are lists of canonical art shows that shaped art history, be- cause they prophetically showed new art to a hostile and unprepared public. Other studies bring to light the ups and downs of single ex- hibition societies, maintaining, however, primarily the optics of de- velopment and emphasising the role of the modernist discourse and its onward march.1 Only in the last couple of decades have we start- ed to see studies aiming to deconstruct the mechanisms that drove the formation of the modernist canon.2 It is vital to look at the exhi- bitions not only to identify what they presented but, most important- ly, to understand what historiographical constructions they employed to justify the legitimacy of the new art they promoted. Several exhibitions organised at the beginning of the 1910s became widely acknowledged to have determined the reception of modern- ist art. The shows are noted to have fostered its commercial success and its influence over artists outside France at a time when it was still largely unknown to broader audiences and not yet fully appreciated by institutions and critics. Among them were two exhibitions mount- ed one after another in 1912: the Internationale Kunstausstellung des 1 For example, some excellent and sourceful works, such as the two volume anthology Exhibitions that Made Art History by Bruce Altshuler and his monograph on the avant- garde shows or the study on the Munich Secession by Maria Makela to one extent or an- other are, however, biased by these models. See Altshuler 1994, 2008, 2013; Makela 1990. 2 For example, a profound reconsideration of the art system in Europe in the late 19th early 20th century made by Robert Jensen (1996) or a collection of essays edited by An- na Brzyski (2007) that seeks to approach the subject of canons in art history highlight- ing their diversity and relativity. Quaderni di Venezia Arti 4 256 Taking and Denying, 255-274 Alexandra Timonina Comparing the Cologne Sonderbund of 1912 and the Second Post-Impressionist Exhibition in London Sonderbunds westdeutscher Kunstfreunde und Künstler (International Art Exhibition of the West German Special League of Art Lovers and Artists) set up in Cologne, and the Second Post-Impressionist Exhibi- tion organised in London, mounted at Grafton Galleries by the Brit- ish critic and art historian Roger Fry. They were closely connected and dealt with similar aesthetic questions. Both expressed the seces- sionist trends in European art where an increasing number of artists strived to find markets for their work (Jensen 1996, 22). At the turn of the century, new independent art associations were multiplying, of- ten hiving off from older ones and declaring that their missions were more liberal or their stylistic programme more coherent and better grounded, which, however, rarely characterised any of them at the same time. On the one hand, they were challenging the routine and often ossified conventions of local scenes and countering the hostile critique of the latest trends in the arts expressed by established ar- tistic communities (Simon 1976, 51; Joyeux-Prunel 2005, 581). Yet, on the other hand, it is important to acknowledge that, by remaining sep- arate, they largely sought to increase their visibility and improve ex- hibition infrastructure to reflect their needs (Paret 2001, 63). Many of these groups employed the tactic of integrating their dis- plays with commemorative monographic sections celebrating the artists considered authoritative among their members. This tool was borrowed from the academic environment, where for years it had served primarily to construct and defend national traditions (Gahtan, Pegazzano 2018, 3). However, it played a major legitimising role for radical expressive lan- guages in the early twentieth century. The organisers of the independent exhibitions often mediated between these two objectives, making way for ambiguities both in contemporary reaction and art historiography. 2 The Sonderbund Model. Between the Marketplace and Secessionist Rhetoric The German art world in the late 1900s and early 1910s resembled a melting pot, with intense activity among continually dividing groups and numerous debates about norms in the arts and their role in de- fending national prestige. Among the most remarkable controversies of the day were the Tschudi Affair and the Bremen Art Dispute that fol- lowed the acquisition of Vincent van Gogh’s Field with Poppies (1889) for the Kunsthalle Bremen by Gustav Pauli in 1911. The latter was equally fuelled by the policies of the Secessions and private galleries, such as Galerie Paul Cassirer,3 and by the polemic that arose around 3 Peter Paret, who was the grandson of Cassirer and has just recently passed away, provided a comprehensive discussion of the climate of fear before the foreign influenc- Quaderni di Venezia Arti 4 257 Taking and Denying, 255-274 Alexandra Timonina Comparing the Cologne Sonderbund of 1912 and the Second Post-Impressionist Exhibition in London Figure 1 Announcement of the International Art Exhibition of the West German Sonderbund. 1912 (Selz 1957, 242) the Sonderbund exhibition in 1910. General conservative opinion as- sumed that there was a conspiracy of Parisian and Berlin art dealers in favour of French art, who had been stringing Germans along and imposing on them overpriced art by foreigners instead of supporting the local schools. Other alleged plotters were progressive museum professionals and critics, who together with the artists blindly follow- ing the French were betraying the national traditions (Selz 1957, 238). The West German Sonderbund was founded in Düsseldorf in 1908 by a group of seven artists who were relatively successful follow- ers of the Impressionist and Neoimpressionist styles (Cestelli Gui- di 1992, 20). Right after the first show, the Sonderbund began being seen as the local equivalent to the Munich and Berlin Secessions. The idea to present French artists next to Germans soon emerged and was realised at the second Sonderbund exhibition in 1910. That show featured artists such as Paul Signac, Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard, Alexej Jawlensky, Wassily Kandinsky, and some pre-Cubist works by Georges Braque. This edition gave particular emphasis on recent theories of colour, its perception, and synthetic approaches in creative practice. The third show maintained this cosmopolitan line by presenting 101 French artists among a total of 147, and further heated things up with a controversial introduction – pointedly enti- tled Rhenish and French Art – written by Richart Reiche, an art his- torian and one of the organisers. es on German art at the dawn of the century in his major study on the Berlin Seces- sion. See Paret 1980, 182-99. Quaderni di Venezia Arti 4 258 Taking and Denying, 255-274 Alexandra Timonina Comparing the Cologne Sonderbund of 1912 and the Second Post-Impressionist Exhibition in London The Cologne show was their fourth exhibition, and it emerged in the context of robust debate over the role of public support for pro- gressive art and openly opposed unfavourable political conditions (Schaefer 2012b, 37).4 The city of Düsseldorf had withdrawn its au- thorisation for the venue because the third edition had provoked too much unrest among the local artistic establishment.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Claude Monet : Seasons and Moments by William C
    Claude Monet : seasons and moments By William C. Seitz Author Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) Date 1960 Publisher The Museum of Modern Art in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Museum: Distributed by Doubleday & Co. Exhibition URL www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/2842 The Museum of Modern Art's exhibition history— from our founding in 1929 to the present—is available online. It includes exhibition catalogues, primary documents, installation views, and an index of participating artists. MoMA © 2017 The Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art, New York Seasons and Moments 64 pages, 50 illustrations (9 in color) $ 3.50 ''Mliili ^ 1* " CLAUDE MONET: Seasons and Moments LIBRARY by William C. Seitz Museumof MotfwnArt ARCHIVE Claude Monet was the purest and most characteristic master of Impressionism. The fundamental principle of his art was a new, wholly perceptual observation of the most fleeting aspects of nature — of moving clouds and water, sun and shadow, rain and snow, mist and fog, dawn and sunset. Over a period of almost seventy years, from the late 1850s to his death in 1926, Monet must have pro duced close to 3,000 paintings, the vast majority of which were landscapes, seascapes, and river scenes. As his involvement with nature became more com plete, he turned from general representations of season and light to paint more specific, momentary, and transitory effects of weather and atmosphere. Late in the seventies he began to repeat his subjects at different seasons of the year or moments of the day, and in the nineties this became a regular procedure that resulted in his well-known "series " — Haystacks, Poplars, Cathedrals, Views of the Thames, Water ERRATA Lilies, etc.
    [Show full text]
  • The Challenges of French Impressionism in Great Britain
    Crossing the Channel: The Challenges of French Impressionism in Great Britain By Catherine Cheney Senior Honors Thesis Department of Art History University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill April 8, 2016 Approved: 1 Introduction: French Impressionism in England As Impressionism spread throughout Europe in the late nineteenth century, the movement took hold in the British art community and helped to change the fundamental ways in which people viewed and collected art. Impressionism made its debut in London in 1870 when Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, and Paul Durand-Ruel sought safe haven in London during the Franco- Prussian war. The two artists created works of London landscapes done in the new Impressionist style. Paul Durand-Ruel, a commercial dealer, marketed the Impressionist works of these two artists and of the other Impressionist artists that he brought over from Paris. The movement was officially organized for the First Impressionist Exhibition in 1874 in Paris, but the initial introduction in London laid the groundwork for promoting this new style throughout the international art world. This thesis will explore, first, the cultural transformations of London that allowed for the introduction of Impressionism as a new style in England; second, the now- famous Thames series that Monet created in the 1890s and notable exhibitions held in London during the time; and finally, the impact Impressionism had on private collectors and adding Impressionist works to the national collections. With the exception of Edouard Manet, who met with success at the Salon in Paris over the years and did not exhibit with the Impressionists, the modern artists were not received well.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Review Are Intended Director on His fi Rst Visit to the Gallery
    THE April – March NATIONAL GALLEY TH E NATIONAL GALLEY April – March – Contents Introduction 5 In June , Dr Nicholas Penny announced During Nicholas Penny’s directorship, overall Director’s Foreword 8 his intention to retire as Director of the National visitor numbers have grown steadily, year on year; Gallery. The handover to his successor, Dr Gabriele in , they stood at some . million while in Acquisitions 10 Finaldi, will take place in August . The Board they reached over . million. Furthermore, Loans 17 looks forward to welcoming Dr Finaldi back to this remarkable increase has taken place during a Conservation 24 the Gallery, where he worked as a curator from period when our resource Grant in Aid has been Framing 28 to . falling. One of the key objectives of the Gallery Exhibitions 32 This, however, is the moment at which to over the last few years has been to improve the Displays 44 refl ect on the directorship of Nicholas Penny, experience for this growing group of visitors, Education 48 the eminent scholar who has led the Gallery so and to engage them more closely with the Scientifi c Research 52 successfully since February . As Director, Gallery and its collection. This year saw both Research and Publications 55 his fi rst priority has been the security, preservation the introduction of Wi-Fi and the relaxation Public and Private Support of the Gallery 60 and enhanced display of the Gallery’s pre-eminent of restrictions on photography, changes which Trustees and Committees of the National Gallery Board 66 collection of Old Master paintings for the benefi t of have been widely welcomed by our visitors.
    [Show full text]
  • Works Cited Primary Sources Antonio, Pietro. Exposition Au Salon
    Works Cited Primary Sources Antonio, Pietro. Exposition au Salon du Louvre en 1787. 1787. Engraving. There are various accounts about how crammed the Salon de Paris was or how boring, but none of them can quite encompass the head-to-toe art lining the walls or the ladies and their fans. This simple engraving brought an event that was hated by some and adored by others to life in my head. Because I could envision what the Impressionist Exhibitions were not, I could also envision what they were because there are no descriptive records of that. Caillebotte, Gustave. Rue de Paris: Temps de pluie. 1877. The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. The Art Institute of Chicago. Web. 15 Feb. 2016. <http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/20684>. Through this source I learned about art critics' favorite painting at the Third Impressionist Exhibition. They believed that Caillebotte, who was the creator of this exhibition, was not actually an Impressionist. His work was some of the ones with less visible brush strokes and more defined lines. That being said, he was the organizer of the Third Impressionist Exhibition and referred to himself as an "Impressionist." The Catalogue of the Second Impressionist Art Exhibition. 1876. The Tate. Web. <http://www2.tate.org.uk/archivejourneys/bloomsburyhtml/images/artistlist_spi.jpg>. This helped me to see the variety of the Second Impressionist Exhibition. It allowed me to view how Durand-Ruel's work influenced the Impressionists and their decisions in the upcoming exhibitions. Cézanne, Paul. Quartier Four, Auvers-sur-Oise. 1873. Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia.
    [Show full text]
  • Exhibition of the Mrs. L.L. Coburn Collection : Modern Paintings
    EXHIBITION OF THE MRS. L. L. COBURN COLLECTION MODERN PAINTINGS & WATER COLORS AUSPICES OF THE ANTIQUARIAN SOC IETY OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO APRIL 6, 1932 TO OCTOBER 9, 1932 THE MRS. 1. 1. COBURN COLLECfION FOR a number of years those who know pictures have heard of the enviable collection of modern masters which Mrs. 1. 1. Coburn has been forming in Chicago. More than once in a New York gallery the salesman has pointed out some particularly important work by uzanne or Degas and remarked, "Mrs. Coburn has just bought that," and occasionally a fin e van Gogh or a Manct has fou nd its way into an exhibition labeled, "Lent from the Coburn Collection," Scholars, museum di rectors, and critics, who have seen the paintings in her apartment at the Blackstone Hotel, have invariably come awav praising the hi.':h quality of the collection and the collector's taste and acumen. Of late. indeed, the Coburn Collection has gained con­ siderable fame abroad; I can still remember with what eagerness a Hungarian Baron. himself one of the world's important picture buyers, asked if he miRht be permitted to see the Coburn R enoi r .~ . many of which he had known in European collections. All such visitors have been welcomed by Mrs. Coburn in a remarkably gener­ ous spirit; loving her pictures. she has been happy to share them with others, and it is this same generosity which now prompts their public exhibition under the auspices of the Antiquarian Society. The public, coming upon the loan of a collection, does not realize some of the trepidations which beset the mind of a collector, before be can bring himself to exhibit his treasures.
    [Show full text]
  • Brooks I Apostle of Post-Impressionism: Virginia Woolf
    Brooks i Apostle of Post-Impressionism: Virginia Woolf and the British Embrace of the French Avant-Garde By Reanna Brooks Honors Thesis Department of English and Comparative Literature University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill 2020 Approved: Dr. David Ross Brooks ii Table of Contents: INTRODUCTION: THE BEGINNINGS OF BRITISH POST-IMPRESSIONISM ................................... 1 CHAPTER 1: CÉZANNE AND WOOLF. ...................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER 2: MATISSE AND WOOLF ........................................................................................ 41 CONCLUSION: BLOOMSBURY INFLUENCE .............................................................................. 73 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................................... 77 Brooks 1 Introduction: The Beginnings of British Post-Impressionism “The mind of an artist, in order to achieve the prodigious effort of freeing whole and entire the work that is in him, must be incandescent... there must be no obstacle in it, no foreign matter unconsumed” –Virginia Woolf London, 1910. A classically bleak British scene. Georgian architecture suspended under dark gray skies. Frosted windows traced with droplets of rain. The narrow cobbled streets are empty except for occasional stragglers making their way swiftly against the bitter winter wind. At first glance, it appears to be an ordinary day in Mayfair. Careful examination reveals something unusual. Discarded pamphlets
    [Show full text]
  • UC Riverside UC Riverside Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    UC Riverside UC Riverside Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title "Eternal Sunlight" of 1909: Examining the Appeal of Joaquín Sorolla's First U.S. Exhibition Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7wn9r81s Author Allen, Lily Colette Publication Date 2018 Supplemental Material https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7wn9r81s#supplemental License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ 4.0 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE “Eternal Sunlight” of 1909: Examining the Appeal of Joaquín Sorolla’s First U.S. Exhibition A Thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Art History by Lily C. Allen June 2018 Thesis Committee: Dr. Jason Weems, Chairperson Dr. James Glisson Dr. Susan Laxton Dr. Alec Le Blanc Copyright by Lily C. Allen 2018 The Thesis of Lily C. Allen is approved: Committee Chairperson University of California, Riverside A lot of good arguments are spoiled by some fool who knows what he is talking about. -Miguel de Unamuno iv Acknowledgements Writing is considered a solitary act, and though at midnight before the rough draft is due, it can seem that way, most who undertake a personal project do so with a support system at their back. I am grateful to say this thesis is no exception. I have been privileged to call Professor Jason Weems my primary advisor throughout this process. To reference the first lesson of my first, graduate-level art history class (which he taught): there is no such thing as the Platonic ideal.
    [Show full text]
  • Impressionist Gardens
    Impressionist Gardens 2010-07-31 2010-10-17 Objects proposed for protection under Part Six of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (Protections of cultural objects on loan from outside the UK). Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York NY10028, USA Type of work: Painting Title: Garden Scene Date Created: 1854 Maker: Jean-Francois Millet Maker dates: 1814 - 1875 Nationality: French Dimensions: 17.1 x 21.3 cm (framed: 41.3 x 46.4 x 7.6 cm) Materials: Oil on canvas Identifying Signed (lower right): J. F. Millet. marks: Place of Not recorded manufacture: Ownership Metropolitan Museum of Art 1933 - 1945: Provenance: Morris K. Jesup, New York (until d. 1908); his widow, Maria DeWitt Jesup, New York (1908-d. 1914) Exhibition New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Barbizon: French Landscapes of the history: Nineteenth Century," February 4-May 10, 1992, no catalogue. Albany. New York State Museum. "French Painters of NAture; The Barbizon SChool: Landscapes from the MEtropolitan Museum of Art," May 22-August22, 2004, no catalogue. Publications: Robert L. Herbert. Letter to Mrs. Leonard Harris. January 19, 1962. Charles Sterling and Margretta M. Salinger. "XIX Century." French Paintings: A Catalogue of the Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2, New York, 1966, p. 89, ill. Page 1 of 19 Impressionist Gardens 2010-07-31 2010-10-17 Objects proposed for protection under Part Six of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (Protections of cultural objects on loan from outside the UK). Type of work: Painting Title: The Parc Monceau Date Created: 1878 Maker: Claude Monet Maker dates: 1840 - 1926 Nationality: French Dimensions: 72.7 x 54.3 cm (framed: 98.4 x 79.7 x 10.8 cm) Materials: Oil on canvas Identifying Signed and dated (lower right): Claude Monet 78 marks: Place of Not recorded manufacture: Ownership The work was seized by Nazis 1940 but restituted to Lindon Family 1946 1933 - 1945: see Provenance for details.
    [Show full text]
  • 19TH CENTURY EUROPEAN VICTORIAN and BRITISH IMPRESSIONIST ART Wednesday 28 September 2016
    19TH CENTURY EUROPEAN VICTORIAN AND BRITISH IMPRESSIONIST ART Wednesday 28 September 2016 19TH CENTURY EUROPEAN, VICTORIAN AND BRITISH IMPRESSIONIST ART Wednesday 28 September at 2.00pm New Bond Street, London VIEWING BIDS ENQUIRIES PHYSICAL CONDITION OF Friday 23 September +44 (0) 20 7447 7447 Peter Rees (Head of Sale) LOTS IN THIS AUCTION 2.00pm to 5.00pm +44 (0) 20 7447 7401 fax +44 (0) 20 7468 8201 Sunday 25 September To bid via the internet please [email protected] PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS 11.00 to 3.00pm visit bonhams.com NO REFERENCE IN THIS Monday 26 September Charles O’Brien CATALOGUE TO THE PHYSICAL 9.00am to 7.00pm Please note that bids should be (Head of Department) CONDITION OF ANY LOT. Tuesday 27 September submitted no later than 4pm on +44 (0) 20 7468 8360 INTENDING BIDDERS MUST 9.00am to 4.30pm the day prior to the sale. New [email protected] SATISFY THEMSELVES AS TO Wednesday 28 September bidders must also provide proof THE CONDITION OF ANY LOT 9.00am to 12.00pm of identity when submitting bids. Alistair Laird AS SPECIFIED IN CLAUSE 14 Failure to do this may result in +44 (0) 20 7468 8211 OF THE NOTICE TO BIDDERS SALE NUMBER your bid not being processed. [email protected] CONTAINED AT THE END OF 23581 THIS CATALOGUE. Bidding by telephone will only Sam Travers CATALOGUE be accepted on a lot with a +44 (0) 20 7468 8232 As a courtesy to intending £25.00 lower estimate or of or in [email protected] bidders, Bonhams will provide a excess of £1,000 written Indication of the physical ILLUSTRATIONS Lucy Oury condition of lots in this sale if a Front cover: Lot 41 Live online bidding is available +44 (0) 20 7468 8356 request is received up to 24 Back cover: Lot 26 for this sale [email protected] hours before the auction starts.
    [Show full text]
  • Lane Legacy Wall Texts for Web-1.Pdf
    The Lane Legacy Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin European collectors and champions of modern art in the late 19th and early 20th century shared a determination and passion in bringing new artistic ideas into the public domain. Their efforts were successful to varying degrees in cities across Europe as they attempted to overcome resistance from conservative official establishments and popular opinion. Some of these endeavours were temporarily successful, only to be dismissed from their official posts or have their collections dispersed after their death. Today, given the level of acclaim and value of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, it is difficult to believe that a hundred years ago these pioneering artists and their work were viewed by many with suspicion and antagonism and relied on enlightened groups for support. Sir Hugh Lane (1875 – 1915) was one such champion who was successful in his ambitions. Inspired by the revolutionary talent of early 20th-century Irish poets and writers, including his aunt Augusta, Lady Gregory, and W.B. Yeats, who were part of Irish Literary Revival, Sir Hugh set about supporting contemporary Irish artists and establishing a gallery of modern art for Ireland. It was a time of flux, of advances in industry, technology and the arts. World Fairs showcased inventions and innovation; Gustave Eiffel’s tower was the signature work at the Universal Exposition in Paris in 1889, while at the Chicago World Fair in 1893 George Ferris Jr’s invention of the Ferris wheel was the talking point. Modernisation in industry and art was accompanied by transformation in political thinking which resulted in upheavals throughout Europe, including Ireland.
    [Show full text]
  • Studies in the History of Collecting & Art Markets
    Art Crossing Borders Studies in the History of Collecting & Art Markets Editor in Chief Christian Huemer (Belvedere Research Center, Vienna) Editorial Board Malcolm Baker (University of California, Riverside) Ursula Frohne (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster) Daniela Gallo (Université de Lorraine, Nancy) Hans van Miegroet (Duke University, Durham) Inge Reist (The Frick Collection, New York) Adriana Turpin (Institut d’Études Supérieures des Arts, London) Filip Vermeylen (Erasmus University, Rotterdam) VOLUME 6 The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/hcam Art Crossing Borders The Internationalisation of the Art Market in the Age of Nation States, 1750–1914 Edited by Jan Dirk Baetens Dries Lyna LEIDEN | BOSTON This is an open access title distributed under the terms of the prevailing CC-BY-NC License at the time of publication, which permits any non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided no alterations are made and the original author(s) and source are credited. Cover illustration: Giuseppe de Nittis, The National Gallery, 1877. Oil on canvas, 70 × 105 cm. Paris, Petit Palais, Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris. © Julien Vidal – Petit Palais – Roger-Viollet The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available online at http://catalog.loc.gov LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2019001443 Typeface for the Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic scripts: “Brill”. See and download: brill.com/brill-typeface. ISSN 2352-0485 ISBN 978-90-04-29198-0 (hardback) ISBN 978-90-04-29199-7 (e-book) Copyright 2019 by the Editors and Authors. Published by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
    [Show full text]
  • The Critical Evaluation of John Singer Sargent's Portrait
    Locating cosmopolitanism within a Trans-Atlantic interpretive frame: the critical evaluation of John Singer Sargent’s portraits and figure studies in Britain and the United States from c.1886–1926. Andrew Stephenson, University of East London. Standpoint: This article examines how questions about John Singer Sargent’s American nationality, his Anglo-American expatriate experience and his works cosmopolitanism were evaluated differently by British and American art writers in relation to his portraits and figure paintings in the period from c.1886–1926. Born in Florence to expatriate American parents, American by nationality, trained in Paris, largely resident in London and working successfully in an expanding trans-Atlantic art economy encompassing London, Paris, Boston and New York, Sargent was revered as the archetypal ‘cosmopolitan’ artist. Yet in spite of his technical brilliance, professional success, the high prices paid for his work by private collectors and museums, and the publication of many complimentary critical evaluations and memorial essays, British and American art writers throughout his life and afterwards remained conflicted about the nature of Sargent’s cosmopolitan sensibility, and they openly disputed claims for his positioning within British or American schools of modern art. Key words: John Singer Sargent, cosmopolitanism, portraiture, figure painting, aestheticism. Text: In November 1903 the art writer Evan Mills penned ‘A Personal Sketch of Mr [John Singer] Sargent’ photographed in the same year by James E. Purdy (fig.1) and published it in World’s Work: Mr John Singer Sargent is a typical example of the modern cosmopolitan man, the man whose habits of thought make him at home everywhere and whose training has been such as to preclude the last touch of chauvinism.
    [Show full text]