Frédéric Bazille and the Birth of Impressionism

The paintings of Frédéric Bazille (1841–1870) were rediscovered after the turn of the century by art critics and curators who accredited the artist as an important pioneer in the development of impressionism. Tracing his artistic career from its inception—including his links to Manet, Monet, Renoir, and Cézanne—this book unveils Bazille’s complete painted works and reveals the artist’s devotion to the principles of avant-garde art in the 1860s. Organized thematically and chronologically, his work is placed into the context of nineteenth-century art and history: from landscape paintings influenced by Monet, to his still lifes, portraits, and singular technique, and from his departure for war to his posthumous renown. Presented as in a catalogue raisonné, sixty-five of Bazille’s paintings are accompanied by a detailed technical caption and an explanatory notice. Facsimiles of the artist’s personal letters are interspersed throughout the book, providing intimate insight on his life. Bazille is a major artist who contributed to the advent of impressionism, and this monograph is completed with a com- prehensive bibliography, a list of works, and two maps detailing his life in Montpellier and Paris.