28th Annual Student Research Conference
A Street as a Subject and the Emergence of Impressionism: Relationship between the Paris Commune and Haussmann's Urban Reconstruction
Se Kyung Ock
Dr. Julia DeLancey and Dr. Sara Orel, Faculty Mentors
Most art historians assume that a street became a famous subject of French Impressionism simply because Impressionists tried to capture momentary impressions of dynamic landscapes, and a street was a place where mobility created a lot of vibrant scenes. However, if the street itself was particularly important for the artists, there is a significant possibility that French artists had actually developed Impressionism in order to fully describe their subject, a street, rather than deciding to draw a street in order to utilize Impressionistic painting style. This paper will discuss political aspects of the emergence of Impressionism in relationship with the massacre of Paris Commune in order to explain how a street became an important subject for Impressionists. Then, an explanation of how a street as a subject motivated French artists to develop Impressionistic painting style will be suggested in relationship with Eugene Haussmann's urban reconstruction project.
Keywords: Impressionism, Paris Commune, Haussmann, Street, 19th Century, France
Topic(s):Art - Art History
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 104-1
Location: OP 2210
Time: 8:00