Paris 1874: Inventing Impressionism with Page Knox

Paris 1874:  Inventing Impressionism

150 years ago, the first Impressionist exhibition opened in Paris on April 15th, 1874.  "Hungry for independence," Monet, Renoir, Degas, Morisot, Pissarro, Sisley and Cézanne finally decided to free themselves from the rules by holding their own exhibition, outside official channels: Impressionism was born!

Join Page Knox for a virtual tour of this celebratory show, which brings together over 130 works from the original exhibition (as well as that year’s Salon), featuring some beloved and iconic paintings by these legendary artists. The show, which opened in Paris at the Musée d'Orsay last spring and is currently on view at the National Gallery in Washington, brings a fresh eye to bear on this key moment, often regarded as the day that launched the avant-garde.

About the Presenter

Page Knox is an adjunct professor in the Art History Department of Columbia University, where she received her PhD in 2012. She works contractually in a variety of capacities at the Metropolitan Museum of Art giving public gallery talks and lectures in special exhibitions as well as the permanent collection, teaching classes at the museum, and leading groups for Travel with the Met.