Discovering the Impressionists: Paul Durand-Ruel and the New Painting

This book documents the instrumental role of French art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel (1831–1922) in advancing the acceptance, admiration, and profitability of the French impressionist school of painting, through many years of struggle. In the 1870s, when impressionism was the "new painting," it was risky for an art dealer to sell these paintings when he could easily have played it safe with the status quo. The impressionists weren't welcomed by the traditional Paris Salon of the previous generation, and so they came up with their own Salon des Refusés (exhibition of rejects) in Paris, which brought in many gawkers. Every chapter in this fully illustrated catalog for a show traveling from Paris to London to Philadelphia has Durand-Ruel's name in its title, demonstrating his unwavering association with the artists and the movement as well as his commitment to its recognition, long-lasting adulation, and position as a cornerstone of modern art throughout the world. One fascinating detail is Durand-Ruel's account books, which trace the sales and transactions of individual paintings.