Clare Willsdon

Clare Willsdons new book explores the rich history and striking evolution of Impressionist garden paintings. By the 1860s, gardens were highly popular in France, the introduction and cross-breeding of new plant and flower species and the opening to the public of the former royal parks had stimulated a great horticultural movement. With their delight in colour, plein-air effects and modern-life themes, the Impressionists and their followers naturally turned to gardens for artistic inspiration. This book follows the spread of the Impressionist garden in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and illustrates not only masterpieces of Impressionism by Manet, Pissarro, Renoir, Sisley and others, but also works by such forebears as Delacroix, Corot, Courbet and later figures like Van Gogh, Gauguin, Klimt and Sargent. With its spectacular illustrations and accessible, engaging text, it will appeal equally to the scholar, student, art lover or gardening enthusiast.

For the first time, this book explores to the full, with dazzling visual accompaniment, the fascinating story of the Impressionist love affair with the new thinking about gardens, their flowers and design, in 19th-century France. It discusses the artists both as painters and as gardeners, and, using source material such as contemporary gardening manuals, offers exciting new interpretations of their art. It also looks at the garden, public or private, as a new kind of space with political undertones, and relates it to the Impressionists' adoption of plein-air techniques.While the approach is to concentrate on analyses of specific works, the historical context is presented in a clear, informative and engaging manner. There is also some lively discussion of the private lives of these artists