A City for Impressionism

Some 100 painted works by the preeminentImpressionist masters depicting Rouen and its surroundings. Rouenplayed a major role in the history of late 19th-century art. Whilenever ceasing to be a landmark for artists since Renaissance times,during the Impressionist period, the city's blossoming industry,beautifully intact architectural heritage and spectacular settingall combined to bring Rouen to the apex of its allure. From thistime on, the city that Pissarro deemed "as beautiful as Venice"became one of the most emblematic settings in modern painting.Masterpieces of Monet, Gauguin, Pissarro, Sisley and otherluminaries of late 19th century painting are assembled in thisvolume, which explores one of the last great themes in the story ofImpressionism, one that has yet to be the object of an exhibitionor a book: this Norman city as a workshop for the new frontier inpainting, with its urban ferment and pastoral beauty, itstime-honored stones and booming industry, all vibrantly reflectedin the waters of the Seine.