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Exhibition Review: A Taste for Impressionism at the Scottish National Gallery
We take a look at the Royal Scottish Academy's latest exhibition, A Taste for Impressionism: Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse
September 20, 2022
Multi-million pound sales of Monets and Gauguins make us question who decides the price - and value - of a piece of art. So too the proliferation of fakes, which force us to question the authority of dealers and the market overall.
It is this tension - between the economic and social values of art – that A Taste for Impressionism captures. Using documentary letters, photographs, and newspaper articles, it meanders between two stories, questioning not only how modern French art became so popular, but also how Scotland’s wealthy individuals contributed to one of the world’s most impressive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist national art collections.
In some respects, it’s the perfect summer exhibition: open doorways, pastel walls, and billowing curtains all pay homage to the lightness of the art movement inside. Its six rooms comprise a panoramic, seemingly total picture of pre to post-Impressionism and beyond, drawing on much of the gallery’s permanent collection.
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Taste for Impressionism is stuffed with firsts. Degas’ sculpture, ‘Nude Study for ‘The Little Fourteen-Year Old Dancer, Dressed’ (1878), was the first Impressionist work to enter the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection. A master of many techniques, Degas’ other works on show represent the artist’s diversity in medium, if not subject.
Before the twentieth century, Scotland’s National Galleries held no modern French art. Director James Caw relied on the charity of wealthy benefactors, whose quotes pepper the gallery walls, to begin to develop the now significant collection. Dozens of prominent names of the era are featured, from Fife-based rice trader Laird to Dundee’s jute magnate Maitland, though little discussion is given as to how their fortunes were accumulated.
Also underexplored is how the artists responded to these perceptions. Alex Reid, who influenced the infamous Samuel Courtauld, brought Van Gogh to Glasgow before his works were popular. The artist’s accompanying portrait of the so-called ‘Degas Reid’, mentioned in the exhibition’s introductory film, is an absent artefact of how artists looked back upon the market and collectors.
France, the historic home of Impressionism, is of course considered broadly. Even explicitly international subjects such as Degas’ Ukrainian-clad ‘Russian Dancers’ (1897), are connected to France’s Belle Epoque, having passed through Paris to perform to their bohemian audiences.
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There are nods to Japonisme, the influence of Japanese art upon Western styles, a trend which gripped France during the height of post-/Impressionism. Japanese influence is suggested in occasionally ambiguous subject matters, like Fanton-Latour’s still-life paintings of soft peaches, or Degas’ ‘Woman Drying Herself’ (1890s). More explicitly, Courbet’s ‘The Wave’ (1864) instantly conjures up Hokusai’s iconic print. Other works borrow their asymmetrical composition from Japanese prints.
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Women are scarcely mentioned in the art history of Impressionism. While overwhelmingly present as the subject or models, their own artistic talents and contributions are somewhat hidden in plain sight. Where the work of female painters is represented, their art is often marketed as a cheaper, more affordable alternative to their male counterparts.
Suzanne Valadon, the first woman artist at Montmartre National Society of Fine Arts, is one of two women artists with work in the exhibition. It was refreshing to have Valadon’s controversial self-representation of the non-idealised woman form be acknowledged alongside more traditional depictions of the female form. Taste also details how Matisse’s wife Amelie was crucial in the production of his woodcuts, and how his model Lydia Délectorskaya translated the captions for his Jazz series – two of the most modern pieces on show.
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Taste cleverly navigates acknowledging the erasure of female creativity in Impressionism by focusing instead on the role of women as patrons and collectors. Rachel Workman’s ambitious collecting was responsible for the first Pablo Picasso to enter Scotland’s national public collection.
Elsewhere, scenes of working class labourers entered the gallery via the collections of Rachel Beer (the so-called ‘First Lady of Fleet Street’) and Evelyn Fleming, until now better known as the mother of the famous author of James Bond.
Fleming certainly had remarkable foresight for both the financial and art historical value of the works she collected: on the reverse of her ‘Peasant Woman’ curators found a previously unknown self-portrait. Until the self-portrait can be removed, the blueish x-ray image is displayed by a special lightbox.
ottiVan Gogh often reused canvasses to save cash, so perhaps there are more to find. His exercise in money-saving measures thus makes the perfect addition to an exhibition all about the economic and artistic worth of art.
A Taste for Impressionism: Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse is on view at the Scottish National Gallery (Royal Scottish Academy) until 13 November 2022. Don’t forget to collect your Yamos when you visit!
Multi-million pound sales of Monets and Gauguins make us question who decides the price - and value - of a piece of art. So too the proliferation of fakes, which force us to question the authority of dealers and the market overall.
It is this tension - between the economic and social values of art – that A Taste for Impressionism captures. Using documentary letters, photographs, and newspaper articles, it meanders between two stories, questioning not only how modern French art became so popular, but also how Scotland’s wealthy individuals contributed to one of the world’s most impressive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist national art collections.
In some respects, it’s the perfect summer exhibition: open doorways, pastel walls, and billowing curtains all pay homage to the lightness of the art movement inside. Its six rooms comprise a panoramic, seemingly total picture of pre to post-Impressionism and beyond, drawing on much of the gallery’s permanent collection.
Taste for Impressionism is stuffed with firsts. Degas’ sculpture, ‘Nude Study for ‘The Little Fourteen-Year Old Dancer, Dressed’ (1878), was the first Impressionist work to enter the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection. A master of many techniques, Degas’ other works on show represent the artist’s diversity in medium, if not subject.
Before the twentieth century, Scotland’s National Galleries held no modern French art. Director James Caw relied on the charity of wealthy benefactors, whose quotes pepper the gallery walls, to begin to develop the now significant collection. Dozens of prominent names of the era are featured, from Fife-based rice trader Laird to Dundee’s jute magnate Maitland, though little discussion is given as to how their fortunes were accumulated.
Also underexplored is how the artists responded to these perceptions. Alex Reid, who influenced the infamous Samuel Courtauld, brought Van Gogh to Glasgow before his works were popular. The artist’s accompanying portrait of the so-called ‘Degas Reid’, mentioned in the exhibition’s introductory film, is an absent artefact of how artists looked back upon the market and collectors.
France, the historic home of Impressionism, is of course considered broadly. Even explicitly international subjects such as Degas’ Ukrainian-clad ‘Russian Dancers’ (1897), are connected to France’s Belle Epoque, having passed through Paris to perform to their bohemian audiences.
There are nods to Japonisme, the influence of Japanese art upon Western styles, a trend which gripped France during the height of post-/Impressionism. Japanese influence is suggested in occasionally ambiguous subject matters, like Fanton-Latour’s still-life paintings of soft peaches, or Degas’ ‘Woman Drying Herself’ (1890s). More explicitly, Courbet’s ‘The Wave’ (1864) instantly conjures up Hokusai’s iconic print. Other works borrow their asymmetrical composition from Japanese prints.
Women are scarcely mentioned in the art history of Impressionism. While overwhelmingly present as the subject or models, their own artistic talents and contributions are somewhat hidden in plain sight. Where the work of female painters is represented, their art is often marketed as a cheaper, more affordable alternative to their male counterparts.
Suzanne Valadon, the first woman artist at Montmartre National Society of Fine Arts, is one of two women artists with work in the exhibition. It was refreshing to have Valadon’s controversial self-representation of the non-idealised woman form be acknowledged alongside more traditional depictions of the female form. Taste also details how Matisse’s wife Amelie was crucial in the production of his woodcuts, and how his model Lydia Délectorskaya translated the captions for his Jazz series – two of the most modern pieces on show.
Taste cleverly navigates acknowledging the erasure of female creativity in Impressionism by focusing instead on the role of women as patrons and collectors. Rachel Workman’s ambitious collecting was responsible for the first Pablo Picasso to enter Scotland’s national public collection.
Elsewhere, scenes of working class labourers entered the gallery via the collections of Rachel Beer (the so-called ‘First Lady of Fleet Street’) and Evelyn Fleming, until now better known as the mother of the famous author of James Bond.
Fleming certainly had remarkable foresight for both the financial and art historical value of the works she collected: on the reverse of her ‘Peasant Woman’ curators found a previously unknown self-portrait. Until the self-portrait can be removed, the blueish x-ray image is displayed by a special lightbox.
ottiVan Gogh often reused canvasses to save cash, so perhaps there are more to find. His exercise in money-saving measures thus makes the perfect addition to an exhibition all about the economic and artistic worth of art.
A Taste for Impressionism: Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse is on view at the Scottish National Gallery (Royal Scottish Academy) until 13 November 2022. Don’t forget to collect your Yamos when you visit!
Multi-million pound sales of Monets and Gauguins make us question who decides the price - and value - of a piece of art. So too the proliferation of fakes, which force us to question the authority of dealers and the market overall.
It is this tension - between the economic and social values of art – that A Taste for Impressionism captures. Using documentary letters, photographs, and newspaper articles, it meanders between two stories, questioning not only how modern French art became so popular, but also how Scotland’s wealthy individuals contributed to one of the world’s most impressive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist national art collections.
In some respects, it’s the perfect summer exhibition: open doorways, pastel walls, and billowing curtains all pay homage to the lightness of the art movement inside. Its six rooms comprise a panoramic, seemingly total picture of pre to post-Impressionism and beyond, drawing on much of the gallery’s permanent collection.
Taste for Impressionism is stuffed with firsts. Degas’ sculpture, ‘Nude Study for ‘The Little Fourteen-Year Old Dancer, Dressed’ (1878), was the first Impressionist work to enter the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection. A master of many techniques, Degas’ other works on show represent the artist’s diversity in medium, if not subject.
Before the twentieth century, Scotland’s National Galleries held no modern French art. Director James Caw relied on the charity of wealthy benefactors, whose quotes pepper the gallery walls, to begin to develop the now significant collection. Dozens of prominent names of the era are featured, from Fife-based rice trader Laird to Dundee’s jute magnate Maitland, though little discussion is given as to how their fortunes were accumulated.
Also underexplored is how the artists responded to these perceptions. Alex Reid, who influenced the infamous Samuel Courtauld, brought Van Gogh to Glasgow before his works were popular. The artist’s accompanying portrait of the so-called ‘Degas Reid’, mentioned in the exhibition’s introductory film, is an absent artefact of how artists looked back upon the market and collectors.
France, the historic home of Impressionism, is of course considered broadly. Even explicitly international subjects such as Degas’ Ukrainian-clad ‘Russian Dancers’ (1897), are connected to France’s Belle Epoque, having passed through Paris to perform to their bohemian audiences.
There are nods to Japonisme, the influence of Japanese art upon Western styles, a trend which gripped France during the height of post-/Impressionism. Japanese influence is suggested in occasionally ambiguous subject matters, like Fanton-Latour’s still-life paintings of soft peaches, or Degas’ ‘Woman Drying Herself’ (1890s). More explicitly, Courbet’s ‘The Wave’ (1864) instantly conjures up Hokusai’s iconic print. Other works borrow their asymmetrical composition from Japanese prints.
Women are scarcely mentioned in the art history of Impressionism. While overwhelmingly present as the subject or models, their own artistic talents and contributions are somewhat hidden in plain sight. Where the work of female painters is represented, their art is often marketed as a cheaper, more affordable alternative to their male counterparts.
Suzanne Valadon, the first woman artist at Montmartre National Society of Fine Arts, is one of two women artists with work in the exhibition. It was refreshing to have Valadon’s controversial self-representation of the non-idealised woman form be acknowledged alongside more traditional depictions of the female form. Taste also details how Matisse’s wife Amelie was crucial in the production of his woodcuts, and how his model Lydia Délectorskaya translated the captions for his Jazz series – two of the most modern pieces on show.
Taste cleverly navigates acknowledging the erasure of female creativity in Impressionism by focusing instead on the role of women as patrons and collectors. Rachel Workman’s ambitious collecting was responsible for the first Pablo Picasso to enter Scotland’s national public collection.
Elsewhere, scenes of working class labourers entered the gallery via the collections of Rachel Beer (the so-called ‘First Lady of Fleet Street’) and Evelyn Fleming, until now better known as the mother of the famous author of James Bond.
Fleming certainly had remarkable foresight for both the financial and art historical value of the works she collected: on the reverse of her ‘Peasant Woman’ curators found a previously unknown self-portrait. Until the self-portrait can be removed, the blueish x-ray image is displayed by a special lightbox.
ottiVan Gogh often reused canvasses to save cash, so perhaps there are more to find. His exercise in money-saving measures thus makes the perfect addition to an exhibition all about the economic and artistic worth of art.
A Taste for Impressionism: Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse is on view at the Scottish National Gallery (Royal Scottish Academy) until 13 November 2022. Don’t forget to collect your Yamos when you visit!
Multi-million pound sales of Monets and Gauguins make us question who decides the price - and value - of a piece of art. So too the proliferation of fakes, which force us to question the authority of dealers and the market overall.
It is this tension - between the economic and social values of art – that A Taste for Impressionism captures. Using documentary letters, photographs, and newspaper articles, it meanders between two stories, questioning not only how modern French art became so popular, but also how Scotland’s wealthy individuals contributed to one of the world’s most impressive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist national art collections.
In some respects, it’s the perfect summer exhibition: open doorways, pastel walls, and billowing curtains all pay homage to the lightness of the art movement inside. Its six rooms comprise a panoramic, seemingly total picture of pre to post-Impressionism and beyond, drawing on much of the gallery’s permanent collection.
Taste for Impressionism is stuffed with firsts. Degas’ sculpture, ‘Nude Study for ‘The Little Fourteen-Year Old Dancer, Dressed’ (1878), was the first Impressionist work to enter the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection. A master of many techniques, Degas’ other works on show represent the artist’s diversity in medium, if not subject.
Before the twentieth century, Scotland’s National Galleries held no modern French art. Director James Caw relied on the charity of wealthy benefactors, whose quotes pepper the gallery walls, to begin to develop the now significant collection. Dozens of prominent names of the era are featured, from Fife-based rice trader Laird to Dundee’s jute magnate Maitland, though little discussion is given as to how their fortunes were accumulated.
Also underexplored is how the artists responded to these perceptions. Alex Reid, who influenced the infamous Samuel Courtauld, brought Van Gogh to Glasgow before his works were popular. The artist’s accompanying portrait of the so-called ‘Degas Reid’, mentioned in the exhibition’s introductory film, is an absent artefact of how artists looked back upon the market and collectors.
France, the historic home of Impressionism, is of course considered broadly. Even explicitly international subjects such as Degas’ Ukrainian-clad ‘Russian Dancers’ (1897), are connected to France’s Belle Epoque, having passed through Paris to perform to their bohemian audiences.
There are nods to Japonisme, the influence of Japanese art upon Western styles, a trend which gripped France during the height of post-/Impressionism. Japanese influence is suggested in occasionally ambiguous subject matters, like Fanton-Latour’s still-life paintings of soft peaches, or Degas’ ‘Woman Drying Herself’ (1890s). More explicitly, Courbet’s ‘The Wave’ (1864) instantly conjures up Hokusai’s iconic print. Other works borrow their asymmetrical composition from Japanese prints.
Women are scarcely mentioned in the art history of Impressionism. While overwhelmingly present as the subject or models, their own artistic talents and contributions are somewhat hidden in plain sight. Where the work of female painters is represented, their art is often marketed as a cheaper, more affordable alternative to their male counterparts.
Suzanne Valadon, the first woman artist at Montmartre National Society of Fine Arts, is one of two women artists with work in the exhibition. It was refreshing to have Valadon’s controversial self-representation of the non-idealised woman form be acknowledged alongside more traditional depictions of the female form. Taste also details how Matisse’s wife Amelie was crucial in the production of his woodcuts, and how his model Lydia Délectorskaya translated the captions for his Jazz series – two of the most modern pieces on show.
Taste cleverly navigates acknowledging the erasure of female creativity in Impressionism by focusing instead on the role of women as patrons and collectors. Rachel Workman’s ambitious collecting was responsible for the first Pablo Picasso to enter Scotland’s national public collection.
Elsewhere, scenes of working class labourers entered the gallery via the collections of Rachel Beer (the so-called ‘First Lady of Fleet Street’) and Evelyn Fleming, until now better known as the mother of the famous author of James Bond.
Fleming certainly had remarkable foresight for both the financial and art historical value of the works she collected: on the reverse of her ‘Peasant Woman’ curators found a previously unknown self-portrait. Until the self-portrait can be removed, the blueish x-ray image is displayed by a special lightbox.
ottiVan Gogh often reused canvasses to save cash, so perhaps there are more to find. His exercise in money-saving measures thus makes the perfect addition to an exhibition all about the economic and artistic worth of art.
A Taste for Impressionism: Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse is on view at the Scottish National Gallery (Royal Scottish Academy) until 13 November 2022. Don’t forget to collect your Yamos when you visit!
Multi-million pound sales of Monets and Gauguins make us question who decides the price - and value - of a piece of art. So too the proliferation of fakes, which force us to question the authority of dealers and the market overall.
It is this tension - between the economic and social values of art – that A Taste for Impressionism captures. Using documentary letters, photographs, and newspaper articles, it meanders between two stories, questioning not only how modern French art became so popular, but also how Scotland’s wealthy individuals contributed to one of the world’s most impressive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist national art collections.
In some respects, it’s the perfect summer exhibition: open doorways, pastel walls, and billowing curtains all pay homage to the lightness of the art movement inside. Its six rooms comprise a panoramic, seemingly total picture of pre to post-Impressionism and beyond, drawing on much of the gallery’s permanent collection.
Taste for Impressionism is stuffed with firsts. Degas’ sculpture, ‘Nude Study for ‘The Little Fourteen-Year Old Dancer, Dressed’ (1878), was the first Impressionist work to enter the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection. A master of many techniques, Degas’ other works on show represent the artist’s diversity in medium, if not subject.
Before the twentieth century, Scotland’s National Galleries held no modern French art. Director James Caw relied on the charity of wealthy benefactors, whose quotes pepper the gallery walls, to begin to develop the now significant collection. Dozens of prominent names of the era are featured, from Fife-based rice trader Laird to Dundee’s jute magnate Maitland, though little discussion is given as to how their fortunes were accumulated.
Also underexplored is how the artists responded to these perceptions. Alex Reid, who influenced the infamous Samuel Courtauld, brought Van Gogh to Glasgow before his works were popular. The artist’s accompanying portrait of the so-called ‘Degas Reid’, mentioned in the exhibition’s introductory film, is an absent artefact of how artists looked back upon the market and collectors.
France, the historic home of Impressionism, is of course considered broadly. Even explicitly international subjects such as Degas’ Ukrainian-clad ‘Russian Dancers’ (1897), are connected to France’s Belle Epoque, having passed through Paris to perform to their bohemian audiences.
There are nods to Japonisme, the influence of Japanese art upon Western styles, a trend which gripped France during the height of post-/Impressionism. Japanese influence is suggested in occasionally ambiguous subject matters, like Fanton-Latour’s still-life paintings of soft peaches, or Degas’ ‘Woman Drying Herself’ (1890s). More explicitly, Courbet’s ‘The Wave’ (1864) instantly conjures up Hokusai’s iconic print. Other works borrow their asymmetrical composition from Japanese prints.
Women are scarcely mentioned in the art history of Impressionism. While overwhelmingly present as the subject or models, their own artistic talents and contributions are somewhat hidden in plain sight. Where the work of female painters is represented, their art is often marketed as a cheaper, more affordable alternative to their male counterparts.
Suzanne Valadon, the first woman artist at Montmartre National Society of Fine Arts, is one of two women artists with work in the exhibition. It was refreshing to have Valadon’s controversial self-representation of the non-idealised woman form be acknowledged alongside more traditional depictions of the female form. Taste also details how Matisse’s wife Amelie was crucial in the production of his woodcuts, and how his model Lydia Délectorskaya translated the captions for his Jazz series – two of the most modern pieces on show.
Taste cleverly navigates acknowledging the erasure of female creativity in Impressionism by focusing instead on the role of women as patrons and collectors. Rachel Workman’s ambitious collecting was responsible for the first Pablo Picasso to enter Scotland’s national public collection.
Elsewhere, scenes of working class labourers entered the gallery via the collections of Rachel Beer (the so-called ‘First Lady of Fleet Street’) and Evelyn Fleming, until now better known as the mother of the famous author of James Bond.
Fleming certainly had remarkable foresight for both the financial and art historical value of the works she collected: on the reverse of her ‘Peasant Woman’ curators found a previously unknown self-portrait. Until the self-portrait can be removed, the blueish x-ray image is displayed by a special lightbox.
ottiVan Gogh often reused canvasses to save cash, so perhaps there are more to find. His exercise in money-saving measures thus makes the perfect addition to an exhibition all about the economic and artistic worth of art.
A Taste for Impressionism: Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse is on view at the Scottish National Gallery (Royal Scottish Academy) until 13 November 2022. Don’t forget to collect your Yamos when you visit!
Multi-million pound sales of Monets and Gauguins make us question who decides the price - and value - of a piece of art. So too the proliferation of fakes, which force us to question the authority of dealers and the market overall.
It is this tension - between the economic and social values of art – that A Taste for Impressionism captures. Using documentary letters, photographs, and newspaper articles, it meanders between two stories, questioning not only how modern French art became so popular, but also how Scotland’s wealthy individuals contributed to one of the world’s most impressive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist national art collections.
In some respects, it’s the perfect summer exhibition: open doorways, pastel walls, and billowing curtains all pay homage to the lightness of the art movement inside. Its six rooms comprise a panoramic, seemingly total picture of pre to post-Impressionism and beyond, drawing on much of the gallery’s permanent collection.
Taste for Impressionism is stuffed with firsts. Degas’ sculpture, ‘Nude Study for ‘The Little Fourteen-Year Old Dancer, Dressed’ (1878), was the first Impressionist work to enter the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection. A master of many techniques, Degas’ other works on show represent the artist’s diversity in medium, if not subject.
Before the twentieth century, Scotland’s National Galleries held no modern French art. Director James Caw relied on the charity of wealthy benefactors, whose quotes pepper the gallery walls, to begin to develop the now significant collection. Dozens of prominent names of the era are featured, from Fife-based rice trader Laird to Dundee’s jute magnate Maitland, though little discussion is given as to how their fortunes were accumulated.
Also underexplored is how the artists responded to these perceptions. Alex Reid, who influenced the infamous Samuel Courtauld, brought Van Gogh to Glasgow before his works were popular. The artist’s accompanying portrait of the so-called ‘Degas Reid’, mentioned in the exhibition’s introductory film, is an absent artefact of how artists looked back upon the market and collectors.
France, the historic home of Impressionism, is of course considered broadly. Even explicitly international subjects such as Degas’ Ukrainian-clad ‘Russian Dancers’ (1897), are connected to France’s Belle Epoque, having passed through Paris to perform to their bohemian audiences.
There are nods to Japonisme, the influence of Japanese art upon Western styles, a trend which gripped France during the height of post-/Impressionism. Japanese influence is suggested in occasionally ambiguous subject matters, like Fanton-Latour’s still-life paintings of soft peaches, or Degas’ ‘Woman Drying Herself’ (1890s). More explicitly, Courbet’s ‘The Wave’ (1864) instantly conjures up Hokusai’s iconic print. Other works borrow their asymmetrical composition from Japanese prints.
Women are scarcely mentioned in the art history of Impressionism. While overwhelmingly present as the subject or models, their own artistic talents and contributions are somewhat hidden in plain sight. Where the work of female painters is represented, their art is often marketed as a cheaper, more affordable alternative to their male counterparts.
Suzanne Valadon, the first woman artist at Montmartre National Society of Fine Arts, is one of two women artists with work in the exhibition. It was refreshing to have Valadon’s controversial self-representation of the non-idealised woman form be acknowledged alongside more traditional depictions of the female form. Taste also details how Matisse’s wife Amelie was crucial in the production of his woodcuts, and how his model Lydia Délectorskaya translated the captions for his Jazz series – two of the most modern pieces on show.
Taste cleverly navigates acknowledging the erasure of female creativity in Impressionism by focusing instead on the role of women as patrons and collectors. Rachel Workman’s ambitious collecting was responsible for the first Pablo Picasso to enter Scotland’s national public collection.
Elsewhere, scenes of working class labourers entered the gallery via the collections of Rachel Beer (the so-called ‘First Lady of Fleet Street’) and Evelyn Fleming, until now better known as the mother of the famous author of James Bond.
Fleming certainly had remarkable foresight for both the financial and art historical value of the works she collected: on the reverse of her ‘Peasant Woman’ curators found a previously unknown self-portrait. Until the self-portrait can be removed, the blueish x-ray image is displayed by a special lightbox.
ottiVan Gogh often reused canvasses to save cash, so perhaps there are more to find. His exercise in money-saving measures thus makes the perfect addition to an exhibition all about the economic and artistic worth of art.
A Taste for Impressionism: Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse is on view at the Scottish National Gallery (Royal Scottish Academy) until 13 November 2022. Don’t forget to collect your Yamos when you visit!
Multi-million pound sales of Monets and Gauguins make us question who decides the price - and value - of a piece of art. So too the proliferation of fakes, which force us to question the authority of dealers and the market overall.
It is this tension - between the economic and social values of art – that A Taste for Impressionism captures. Using documentary letters, photographs, and newspaper articles, it meanders between two stories, questioning not only how modern French art became so popular, but also how Scotland’s wealthy individuals contributed to one of the world’s most impressive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist national art collections.
In some respects, it’s the perfect summer exhibition: open doorways, pastel walls, and billowing curtains all pay homage to the lightness of the art movement inside. Its six rooms comprise a panoramic, seemingly total picture of pre to post-Impressionism and beyond, drawing on much of the gallery’s permanent collection.
Taste for Impressionism is stuffed with firsts. Degas’ sculpture, ‘Nude Study for ‘The Little Fourteen-Year Old Dancer, Dressed’ (1878), was the first Impressionist work to enter the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection. A master of many techniques, Degas’ other works on show represent the artist’s diversity in medium, if not subject.
Before the twentieth century, Scotland’s National Galleries held no modern French art. Director James Caw relied on the charity of wealthy benefactors, whose quotes pepper the gallery walls, to begin to develop the now significant collection. Dozens of prominent names of the era are featured, from Fife-based rice trader Laird to Dundee’s jute magnate Maitland, though little discussion is given as to how their fortunes were accumulated.
Also underexplored is how the artists responded to these perceptions. Alex Reid, who influenced the infamous Samuel Courtauld, brought Van Gogh to Glasgow before his works were popular. The artist’s accompanying portrait of the so-called ‘Degas Reid’, mentioned in the exhibition’s introductory film, is an absent artefact of how artists looked back upon the market and collectors.
France, the historic home of Impressionism, is of course considered broadly. Even explicitly international subjects such as Degas’ Ukrainian-clad ‘Russian Dancers’ (1897), are connected to France’s Belle Epoque, having passed through Paris to perform to their bohemian audiences.
There are nods to Japonisme, the influence of Japanese art upon Western styles, a trend which gripped France during the height of post-/Impressionism. Japanese influence is suggested in occasionally ambiguous subject matters, like Fanton-Latour’s still-life paintings of soft peaches, or Degas’ ‘Woman Drying Herself’ (1890s). More explicitly, Courbet’s ‘The Wave’ (1864) instantly conjures up Hokusai’s iconic print. Other works borrow their asymmetrical composition from Japanese prints.
Women are scarcely mentioned in the art history of Impressionism. While overwhelmingly present as the subject or models, their own artistic talents and contributions are somewhat hidden in plain sight. Where the work of female painters is represented, their art is often marketed as a cheaper, more affordable alternative to their male counterparts.
Suzanne Valadon, the first woman artist at Montmartre National Society of Fine Arts, is one of two women artists with work in the exhibition. It was refreshing to have Valadon’s controversial self-representation of the non-idealised woman form be acknowledged alongside more traditional depictions of the female form. Taste also details how Matisse’s wife Amelie was crucial in the production of his woodcuts, and how his model Lydia Délectorskaya translated the captions for his Jazz series – two of the most modern pieces on show.
Taste cleverly navigates acknowledging the erasure of female creativity in Impressionism by focusing instead on the role of women as patrons and collectors. Rachel Workman’s ambitious collecting was responsible for the first Pablo Picasso to enter Scotland’s national public collection.
Elsewhere, scenes of working class labourers entered the gallery via the collections of Rachel Beer (the so-called ‘First Lady of Fleet Street’) and Evelyn Fleming, until now better known as the mother of the famous author of James Bond.
Fleming certainly had remarkable foresight for both the financial and art historical value of the works she collected: on the reverse of her ‘Peasant Woman’ curators found a previously unknown self-portrait. Until the self-portrait can be removed, the blueish x-ray image is displayed by a special lightbox.
ottiVan Gogh often reused canvasses to save cash, so perhaps there are more to find. His exercise in money-saving measures thus makes the perfect addition to an exhibition all about the economic and artistic worth of art.
A Taste for Impressionism: Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse is on view at the Scottish National Gallery (Royal Scottish Academy) until 13 November 2022. Don’t forget to collect your Yamos when you visit!
Multi-million pound sales of Monets and Gauguins make us question who decides the price - and value - of a piece of art. So too the proliferation of fakes, which force us to question the authority of dealers and the market overall.
It is this tension - between the economic and social values of art – that A Taste for Impressionism captures. Using documentary letters, photographs, and newspaper articles, it meanders between two stories, questioning not only how modern French art became so popular, but also how Scotland’s wealthy individuals contributed to one of the world’s most impressive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist national art collections.
In some respects, it’s the perfect summer exhibition: open doorways, pastel walls, and billowing curtains all pay homage to the lightness of the art movement inside. Its six rooms comprise a panoramic, seemingly total picture of pre to post-Impressionism and beyond, drawing on much of the gallery’s permanent collection.
Taste for Impressionism is stuffed with firsts. Degas’ sculpture, ‘Nude Study for ‘The Little Fourteen-Year Old Dancer, Dressed’ (1878), was the first Impressionist work to enter the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection. A master of many techniques, Degas’ other works on show represent the artist’s diversity in medium, if not subject.
Before the twentieth century, Scotland’s National Galleries held no modern French art. Director James Caw relied on the charity of wealthy benefactors, whose quotes pepper the gallery walls, to begin to develop the now significant collection. Dozens of prominent names of the era are featured, from Fife-based rice trader Laird to Dundee’s jute magnate Maitland, though little discussion is given as to how their fortunes were accumulated.
Also underexplored is how the artists responded to these perceptions. Alex Reid, who influenced the infamous Samuel Courtauld, brought Van Gogh to Glasgow before his works were popular. The artist’s accompanying portrait of the so-called ‘Degas Reid’, mentioned in the exhibition’s introductory film, is an absent artefact of how artists looked back upon the market and collectors.
France, the historic home of Impressionism, is of course considered broadly. Even explicitly international subjects such as Degas’ Ukrainian-clad ‘Russian Dancers’ (1897), are connected to France’s Belle Epoque, having passed through Paris to perform to their bohemian audiences.
There are nods to Japonisme, the influence of Japanese art upon Western styles, a trend which gripped France during the height of post-/Impressionism. Japanese influence is suggested in occasionally ambiguous subject matters, like Fanton-Latour’s still-life paintings of soft peaches, or Degas’ ‘Woman Drying Herself’ (1890s). More explicitly, Courbet’s ‘The Wave’ (1864) instantly conjures up Hokusai’s iconic print. Other works borrow their asymmetrical composition from Japanese prints.
Women are scarcely mentioned in the art history of Impressionism. While overwhelmingly present as the subject or models, their own artistic talents and contributions are somewhat hidden in plain sight. Where the work of female painters is represented, their art is often marketed as a cheaper, more affordable alternative to their male counterparts.
Suzanne Valadon, the first woman artist at Montmartre National Society of Fine Arts, is one of two women artists with work in the exhibition. It was refreshing to have Valadon’s controversial self-representation of the non-idealised woman form be acknowledged alongside more traditional depictions of the female form. Taste also details how Matisse’s wife Amelie was crucial in the production of his woodcuts, and how his model Lydia Délectorskaya translated the captions for his Jazz series – two of the most modern pieces on show.
Taste cleverly navigates acknowledging the erasure of female creativity in Impressionism by focusing instead on the role of women as patrons and collectors. Rachel Workman’s ambitious collecting was responsible for the first Pablo Picasso to enter Scotland’s national public collection.
Elsewhere, scenes of working class labourers entered the gallery via the collections of Rachel Beer (the so-called ‘First Lady of Fleet Street’) and Evelyn Fleming, until now better known as the mother of the famous author of James Bond.
Fleming certainly had remarkable foresight for both the financial and art historical value of the works she collected: on the reverse of her ‘Peasant Woman’ curators found a previously unknown self-portrait. Until the self-portrait can be removed, the blueish x-ray image is displayed by a special lightbox.
ottiVan Gogh often reused canvasses to save cash, so perhaps there are more to find. His exercise in money-saving measures thus makes the perfect addition to an exhibition all about the economic and artistic worth of art.
A Taste for Impressionism: Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse is on view at the Scottish National Gallery (Royal Scottish Academy) until 13 November 2022. Don’t forget to collect your Yamos when you visit!
Multi-million pound sales of Monets and Gauguins make us question who decides the price - and value - of a piece of art. So too the proliferation of fakes, which force us to question the authority of dealers and the market overall.
It is this tension - between the economic and social values of art – that A Taste for Impressionism captures. Using documentary letters, photographs, and newspaper articles, it meanders between two stories, questioning not only how modern French art became so popular, but also how Scotland’s wealthy individuals contributed to one of the world’s most impressive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist national art collections.
In some respects, it’s the perfect summer exhibition: open doorways, pastel walls, and billowing curtains all pay homage to the lightness of the art movement inside. Its six rooms comprise a panoramic, seemingly total picture of pre to post-Impressionism and beyond, drawing on much of the gallery’s permanent collection.
Taste for Impressionism is stuffed with firsts. Degas’ sculpture, ‘Nude Study for ‘The Little Fourteen-Year Old Dancer, Dressed’ (1878), was the first Impressionist work to enter the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection. A master of many techniques, Degas’ other works on show represent the artist’s diversity in medium, if not subject.
Before the twentieth century, Scotland’s National Galleries held no modern French art. Director James Caw relied on the charity of wealthy benefactors, whose quotes pepper the gallery walls, to begin to develop the now significant collection. Dozens of prominent names of the era are featured, from Fife-based rice trader Laird to Dundee’s jute magnate Maitland, though little discussion is given as to how their fortunes were accumulated.
Also underexplored is how the artists responded to these perceptions. Alex Reid, who influenced the infamous Samuel Courtauld, brought Van Gogh to Glasgow before his works were popular. The artist’s accompanying portrait of the so-called ‘Degas Reid’, mentioned in the exhibition’s introductory film, is an absent artefact of how artists looked back upon the market and collectors.
France, the historic home of Impressionism, is of course considered broadly. Even explicitly international subjects such as Degas’ Ukrainian-clad ‘Russian Dancers’ (1897), are connected to France’s Belle Epoque, having passed through Paris to perform to their bohemian audiences.
There are nods to Japonisme, the influence of Japanese art upon Western styles, a trend which gripped France during the height of post-/Impressionism. Japanese influence is suggested in occasionally ambiguous subject matters, like Fanton-Latour’s still-life paintings of soft peaches, or Degas’ ‘Woman Drying Herself’ (1890s). More explicitly, Courbet’s ‘The Wave’ (1864) instantly conjures up Hokusai’s iconic print. Other works borrow their asymmetrical composition from Japanese prints.
Women are scarcely mentioned in the art history of Impressionism. While overwhelmingly present as the subject or models, their own artistic talents and contributions are somewhat hidden in plain sight. Where the work of female painters is represented, their art is often marketed as a cheaper, more affordable alternative to their male counterparts.
Suzanne Valadon, the first woman artist at Montmartre National Society of Fine Arts, is one of two women artists with work in the exhibition. It was refreshing to have Valadon’s controversial self-representation of the non-idealised woman form be acknowledged alongside more traditional depictions of the female form. Taste also details how Matisse’s wife Amelie was crucial in the production of his woodcuts, and how his model Lydia Délectorskaya translated the captions for his Jazz series – two of the most modern pieces on show.
Taste cleverly navigates acknowledging the erasure of female creativity in Impressionism by focusing instead on the role of women as patrons and collectors. Rachel Workman’s ambitious collecting was responsible for the first Pablo Picasso to enter Scotland’s national public collection.
Elsewhere, scenes of working class labourers entered the gallery via the collections of Rachel Beer (the so-called ‘First Lady of Fleet Street’) and Evelyn Fleming, until now better known as the mother of the famous author of James Bond.
Fleming certainly had remarkable foresight for both the financial and art historical value of the works she collected: on the reverse of her ‘Peasant Woman’ curators found a previously unknown self-portrait. Until the self-portrait can be removed, the blueish x-ray image is displayed by a special lightbox.
ottiVan Gogh often reused canvasses to save cash, so perhaps there are more to find. His exercise in money-saving measures thus makes the perfect addition to an exhibition all about the economic and artistic worth of art.
A Taste for Impressionism: Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse is on view at the Scottish National Gallery (Royal Scottish Academy) until 13 November 2022. Don’t forget to collect your Yamos when you visit!
Multi-million pound sales of Monets and Gauguins make us question who decides the price - and value - of a piece of art. So too the proliferation of fakes, which force us to question the authority of dealers and the market overall.
It is this tension - between the economic and social values of art – that A Taste for Impressionism captures. Using documentary letters, photographs, and newspaper articles, it meanders between two stories, questioning not only how modern French art became so popular, but also how Scotland’s wealthy individuals contributed to one of the world’s most impressive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist national art collections.
In some respects, it’s the perfect summer exhibition: open doorways, pastel walls, and billowing curtains all pay homage to the lightness of the art movement inside. Its six rooms comprise a panoramic, seemingly total picture of pre to post-Impressionism and beyond, drawing on much of the gallery’s permanent collection.
Taste for Impressionism is stuffed with firsts. Degas’ sculpture, ‘Nude Study for ‘The Little Fourteen-Year Old Dancer, Dressed’ (1878), was the first Impressionist work to enter the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection. A master of many techniques, Degas’ other works on show represent the artist’s diversity in medium, if not subject.
Before the twentieth century, Scotland’s National Galleries held no modern French art. Director James Caw relied on the charity of wealthy benefactors, whose quotes pepper the gallery walls, to begin to develop the now significant collection. Dozens of prominent names of the era are featured, from Fife-based rice trader Laird to Dundee’s jute magnate Maitland, though little discussion is given as to how their fortunes were accumulated.
Also underexplored is how the artists responded to these perceptions. Alex Reid, who influenced the infamous Samuel Courtauld, brought Van Gogh to Glasgow before his works were popular. The artist’s accompanying portrait of the so-called ‘Degas Reid’, mentioned in the exhibition’s introductory film, is an absent artefact of how artists looked back upon the market and collectors.
France, the historic home of Impressionism, is of course considered broadly. Even explicitly international subjects such as Degas’ Ukrainian-clad ‘Russian Dancers’ (1897), are connected to France’s Belle Epoque, having passed through Paris to perform to their bohemian audiences.
There are nods to Japonisme, the influence of Japanese art upon Western styles, a trend which gripped France during the height of post-/Impressionism. Japanese influence is suggested in occasionally ambiguous subject matters, like Fanton-Latour’s still-life paintings of soft peaches, or Degas’ ‘Woman Drying Herself’ (1890s). More explicitly, Courbet’s ‘The Wave’ (1864) instantly conjures up Hokusai’s iconic print. Other works borrow their asymmetrical composition from Japanese prints.
Women are scarcely mentioned in the art history of Impressionism. While overwhelmingly present as the subject or models, their own artistic talents and contributions are somewhat hidden in plain sight. Where the work of female painters is represented, their art is often marketed as a cheaper, more affordable alternative to their male counterparts.
Suzanne Valadon, the first woman artist at Montmartre National Society of Fine Arts, is one of two women artists with work in the exhibition. It was refreshing to have Valadon’s controversial self-representation of the non-idealised woman form be acknowledged alongside more traditional depictions of the female form. Taste also details how Matisse’s wife Amelie was crucial in the production of his woodcuts, and how his model Lydia Délectorskaya translated the captions for his Jazz series – two of the most modern pieces on show.
Taste cleverly navigates acknowledging the erasure of female creativity in Impressionism by focusing instead on the role of women as patrons and collectors. Rachel Workman’s ambitious collecting was responsible for the first Pablo Picasso to enter Scotland’s national public collection.
Elsewhere, scenes of working class labourers entered the gallery via the collections of Rachel Beer (the so-called ‘First Lady of Fleet Street’) and Evelyn Fleming, until now better known as the mother of the famous author of James Bond.
Fleming certainly had remarkable foresight for both the financial and art historical value of the works she collected: on the reverse of her ‘Peasant Woman’ curators found a previously unknown self-portrait. Until the self-portrait can be removed, the blueish x-ray image is displayed by a special lightbox.
ottiVan Gogh often reused canvasses to save cash, so perhaps there are more to find. His exercise in money-saving measures thus makes the perfect addition to an exhibition all about the economic and artistic worth of art.
A Taste for Impressionism: Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse is on view at the Scottish National Gallery (Royal Scottish Academy) until 13 November 2022. Don’t forget to collect your Yamos when you visit!
Multi-million pound sales of Monets and Gauguins make us question who decides the price - and value - of a piece of art. So too the proliferation of fakes, which force us to question the authority of dealers and the market overall.
It is this tension - between the economic and social values of art – that A Taste for Impressionism captures. Using documentary letters, photographs, and newspaper articles, it meanders between two stories, questioning not only how modern French art became so popular, but also how Scotland’s wealthy individuals contributed to one of the world’s most impressive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist national art collections.
In some respects, it’s the perfect summer exhibition: open doorways, pastel walls, and billowing curtains all pay homage to the lightness of the art movement inside. Its six rooms comprise a panoramic, seemingly total picture of pre to post-Impressionism and beyond, drawing on much of the gallery’s permanent collection.
Taste for Impressionism is stuffed with firsts. Degas’ sculpture, ‘Nude Study for ‘The Little Fourteen-Year Old Dancer, Dressed’ (1878), was the first Impressionist work to enter the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection. A master of many techniques, Degas’ other works on show represent the artist’s diversity in medium, if not subject.
Before the twentieth century, Scotland’s National Galleries held no modern French art. Director James Caw relied on the charity of wealthy benefactors, whose quotes pepper the gallery walls, to begin to develop the now significant collection. Dozens of prominent names of the era are featured, from Fife-based rice trader Laird to Dundee’s jute magnate Maitland, though little discussion is given as to how their fortunes were accumulated.
Also underexplored is how the artists responded to these perceptions. Alex Reid, who influenced the infamous Samuel Courtauld, brought Van Gogh to Glasgow before his works were popular. The artist’s accompanying portrait of the so-called ‘Degas Reid’, mentioned in the exhibition’s introductory film, is an absent artefact of how artists looked back upon the market and collectors.
France, the historic home of Impressionism, is of course considered broadly. Even explicitly international subjects such as Degas’ Ukrainian-clad ‘Russian Dancers’ (1897), are connected to France’s Belle Epoque, having passed through Paris to perform to their bohemian audiences.
There are nods to Japonisme, the influence of Japanese art upon Western styles, a trend which gripped France during the height of post-/Impressionism. Japanese influence is suggested in occasionally ambiguous subject matters, like Fanton-Latour’s still-life paintings of soft peaches, or Degas’ ‘Woman Drying Herself’ (1890s). More explicitly, Courbet’s ‘The Wave’ (1864) instantly conjures up Hokusai’s iconic print. Other works borrow their asymmetrical composition from Japanese prints.
Women are scarcely mentioned in the art history of Impressionism. While overwhelmingly present as the subject or models, their own artistic talents and contributions are somewhat hidden in plain sight. Where the work of female painters is represented, their art is often marketed as a cheaper, more affordable alternative to their male counterparts.
Suzanne Valadon, the first woman artist at Montmartre National Society of Fine Arts, is one of two women artists with work in the exhibition. It was refreshing to have Valadon’s controversial self-representation of the non-idealised woman form be acknowledged alongside more traditional depictions of the female form. Taste also details how Matisse’s wife Amelie was crucial in the production of his woodcuts, and how his model Lydia Délectorskaya translated the captions for his Jazz series – two of the most modern pieces on show.
Taste cleverly navigates acknowledging the erasure of female creativity in Impressionism by focusing instead on the role of women as patrons and collectors. Rachel Workman’s ambitious collecting was responsible for the first Pablo Picasso to enter Scotland’s national public collection.
Elsewhere, scenes of working class labourers entered the gallery via the collections of Rachel Beer (the so-called ‘First Lady of Fleet Street’) and Evelyn Fleming, until now better known as the mother of the famous author of James Bond.
Fleming certainly had remarkable foresight for both the financial and art historical value of the works she collected: on the reverse of her ‘Peasant Woman’ curators found a previously unknown self-portrait. Until the self-portrait can be removed, the blueish x-ray image is displayed by a special lightbox.
ottiVan Gogh often reused canvasses to save cash, so perhaps there are more to find. His exercise in money-saving measures thus makes the perfect addition to an exhibition all about the economic and artistic worth of art.
A Taste for Impressionism: Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse is on view at the Scottish National Gallery (Royal Scottish Academy) until 13 November 2022. Don’t forget to collect your Yamos when you visit!
