After Impressionism: Inventing Modern Art

A richly illustrated book that tells the story of one of the most important periods in Western art between 1880 and the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 — A complex, vibrant period of artistic questioning, searching, risk-taking and innovation.

It celebrates the achievements of three giants of the era: Paul Cézanne, Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin and follows the influences they had on younger generations of French artists, on their peers and on wider circles of artists across Europe in Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels and Vienna.

With nearly a hundred works by artists ranging from Klimt and Munch, Matisse and Picasso to Mondrian and Kandinsky complemented by a selection of sculpture by artists including Rodin and Camille Claudel, the book perfectly illustrates a story about the creation of modern art, free of convention, expressionism, cubism and abstraction.

André Derain, La Danse, 1906. Oil on canvas, Private Collection.

Why you should read it..

There are many reasons to read the After Impressionism: Inventing Modern Art book. It is a wonderful collection of some of the world’s great pieces from one of the most important periods in Western art. It includes paintings and sculpture from most of the major artists of the late 19th and early 20th Century.

While there is a focus on the three featured artists; Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin, there are also major works from Picasso, Matisse, Munch, Klimt and many more. After Impressionism is itself a work of art; a magnificently curated book that uses the works to tell the story of a major moment in the development of human perception. While focused on the plastic arts, it is a multi-faceted exploration of a major shift in how humanity experiences the world.

It tracks simultaneous and interlocking movements in areas including music, literature, architecture, and interior design. It discusses the influence of writers including Rimbaud, Maeterlinck, Tolstoy, Ibsen and Rilke and musicians like Wagner, Debussy and Mahler. 

While acknowledging the centrality of Paris After Impressionism includes important works from movements in Berlin, Barcelona, Brussels and Vienna. It also shows the profound influence of the arts of Africa, Japan and Oceania that was being explored by Europeans.

Using painting and sculpture After Impressionism tells the story of the shift from Impressionism’s challenge to figurative art to abstraction, where colors, shapes, line, texture and materials become the subject thereby freeing art from the need to reflect a specific reality. These transitions are told through the works of the artists who pioneered them.

The book is a great pathway in helping you understand how perception shifted into the modern era — explaining for example, how the Rothko murals got to the Tate Modern or just how the work of great artists is to learn how we have become who we are because of who they were.

Let’s discuss it..

If you’re looking for a fun and engaging way to connect with other book lovers, read thought-provoking books, read many different books from different genres and themes, our book club is the perfect fit for you. 

The House Guest

w / Inspiring Futures

Every other Friday 5 - 7 PM (Next workshop 9th August) 

A curated book club for artists, makers and creatives celebrating the work, creativity & writing of traditionally underrepresented creators…

Read more here.