Masters of French Painting, 1290-1920 At the Wadsworth Atheneum
Eric M. Zafran
Published by GILES in association with the Wadsworth Atheneum
Release Date — October 2012 (UK and USA)
Dimensions — 288 pages, 305 x 229 mm (9 x 12 in)
Illustrations — 150 colour and 40 b&w
Hardback price — UK£45.00/US$65.00
ISBN — 978-1-904832-93-5
Trade Orders — Please visit our Trade Orders section
Press Release — Masters of French Painting
Sales Points
Fills a major gap in the museum’s range of scholarly titles devoted to its collections
An entirely new catalogue, with up-to-date references, provenance, exhibition histories and technical/conservation reports, in addition to insightful art historical commentaries on the paintings.
Both a major reference title on French art and a book aimed at general art-lovers
An exhibition of about 100 highlights of the collection, Medieval to Monet, will be on view at the Wadsworth Atheneum, October 19, 2012 – January 27, 2013
About the Book
Masters of French Painting, 1290-1920 presents 138 of the most significant and representative works of art in the Wadsworth Atheneum’s internationally recognized collection of French paintings and pastels. These range from the great 17th-century religious masterpieces by Poussin and Claude, to charming 18th-century genre and portraits by Boucher, Robert, Vigée Lebrun, and Trinquesse, and onto varied and rich examples from the 19th century, with outstanding works by Géricault, Delacroix, Monet, Renoir, Gauguin, and Toulouse-Lautrec.
As the first public art museum in the US, the Wadsworth Atheneum paved the way for encyclopaedic museums across the country. Founded by Daniel Wadsworth, the Atheneum opened in 1844 with 79 paintings and three sculptures, and today holds more than 50,000 works of art. Masters of French Painting, 1290-1920 provides scholars and researchers with an entirely new catalogue, with up-to-date references, provenance, exhibition histories and technical/conservation reports, in addition to insightful art historical commentaries on the paintings. The book also includes an introductory essay on the formation of this remarkable collection by curator Eric M. Zafran.
