Why Monet Matters: Meanings Among the Lily Pads by James H. Rubin Paperback Book

Description: Why Monet Matters by James H. Rubin Explores the paintings of Monet and the personal, cultural, and historical contexts within which they were created, including rapid changes of government in France, the Dreyfus Affair, and the destruction and devastation of World War I. FORMAT Paperback CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description Claude Monets Water Lilies are widely recognized as a celebration of nature and a call to visual experience. The skilled brushwork, vivid color, and immersive quality of the paintings suspend thoughts of the outside world and its concerns. And yet, when one realizes that these works were made during a period of social and political turmoil—rapid changes of government, the Dreyfus Affair, and the destruction and devastation of World War I—questions arise about the personal, cultural, and historical contexts within which they were created. In this book, James H. Rubin explores these conditions and shows how Monets work—said to be a harbinger of abstraction—appeals not only to the eye but also to something deep in modern consciousness. The myth of Impressionism is that it was reviled and misunderstood, but by the 1890s Monet was rich by anyones standards, and his works were considered French cultural treasures. Monet was featured in a propaganda film in response to German militarism, and he was persuaded by Georges Clemenceau to donate a number of his Water Lilies paintings to the French nation following the Treaty of Versailles. Taking this into account, Rubin uncovers how the theme of floating lily pads could serve political ends, exposing relationships between Monets apparently subject-free art and its material circumstances in the modern world.Engagingly written, masterfully argued, and featuring more than 150 illustrations, Why Monet Matters is a major study of an artist who had the will and the talent to remain relevant to his time without conceding to its fashions. Scholars, students, and those who appreciate Monet and Impressionism will value and learn from this book. Author Biography James H. Rubin is Professor Emeritus of Art History at Stony Brook University. He is the author of thirteen books, including Impressionism; Impressionist Cats and Dogs: Pets in the Painting of Modern Life; and Impressionism and the Modern Landscape: Productivity, Technology, and Urbanization from Manet to Van Gogh, as well as more than seventy articles and exhibition catalog essays on nineteenth-century French art. Table of Contents Contents Preface and Acknowledgements Introduction: A Monument to Peace 1 . A Paradox of Near and Far: A Train Ran Through His Garden 2 . Environmental Impulses: Performing Painting and Gardening 3 . Motifs and Meanings: Elements and Origins 4 . Decorative Theories and Practices: In the Time of Symbolism 5 . Flowers and Flesh: Color and the Feminine 6 . Philosophical Looking: Seeing with the Body 7 . The Politics of Paradise: Utopians and Malcontents 8 . Reputations and Legacies: Abstraction and the Modern Conclusion: Man of His Times Notes Selected Bibliography List of Illustrations Index Review "This impressive book is a valuable contribution to the scholarship on Monet and later nineteenth- and early twentieth-century French art and culture more broadly. By the end of it, readers will have a far richer understanding of the manifold ways that Monets late work intersects with major artistic, political, and philosophical currents of the period."—Michelle Foa, author of Georges Seurat: The Art of Vision Long Description Claude Monets Water Lilies are widely recognized as a celebration of nature and a call to visual experience. The skilled brushwork, vivid color, and immersive quality of the paintings suspend thoughts of the outside world and its concerns. And yet, when one realizes that these works were made during a period of social and political turmoil-rapid changes of government, the Dreyfus Affair, and the destruction and devastation of World War I-questions arise about the personal, cultural, and historical contexts within which they were created. In this book, James H. Rubin explores these conditions and shows how Monets work-said to be a harbinger of abstraction-appeals not only to the eye but also to something deep in modern consciousness. The myth of Impressionism is that it was reviled and misunderstood, but by the 1890s Monet was rich by anyones standards, and his works were considered French cultural treasures. Monet was featured in a propaganda film in response to German militarism, and he was persuaded by Georges Clemenceau to donate a number of his Water Lilies paintings to the French nation following the Treaty of Versailles. Taking this into account, Rubin uncovers how the theme of floating lily pads could serve political ends, exposing relationships between Monets apparently subject-free art and its material circumstances in the modern world. Engagingly written, masterfully argued, and featuring more than 150 illustrations, Why Monet Matters is a major study of an artist who had the will and the talent to remain relevant to his time without conceding to its fashions. Scholars, students, and those who appreciate Monet and Impressionism will value and learn from this book. Review Text "This impressive book is a valuable contribution to the scholarship on Monet and later nineteenth- and early twentieth-century French art and culture more broadly. By the end of it, readers will have a far richer understanding of the manifold ways that Monets late work intersects with major artistic, political, and philosophical currents of the period." -Michelle Foa, author of Georges Seurat: The Art of Vision Review Quote "This impressive book is a valuable contribution to the scholarship on Monet and later nineteenth- and early twentieth-century French art and culture more broadly. By the end of it, readers will have a far richer understanding of the manifold ways that Monets late work intersects with major artistic, political, and philosophical currents of the period." --Michelle Foa, author of Georges Seurat: The Art of Vision Details ISBN0271091169 Author James H. Rubin Format Paperback Pages 392 Year 2022 ISBN-13 9780271091167 Imprint Pennsylvania State University Press Place of Publication University Park Country of Publication United States NZ Release Date 2022-01-11 US Release Date 2022-01-11 UK Release Date 2022-01-11 ISBN-10 0271091169 Illustrations 78 Halftones, color; 82 Halftones, black and white Subtitle Meanings Among the Lily Pads Publisher Pennsylvania State University Press Publication Date 2022-01-11 Alternative 9780271086200 DEWEY 759.4 Audience Professional & Vocational AU Release Date 2022-01-10 We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. 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