Denvir, Bernard. The Impressionists at First Hand. London: Thames and Hudson, 1991.
I found this book to be a powerhouse for inspiration toward my study of the Impressionists. It is a compilation of quotes, letters, and articles related to the Impressionists. Most of the book is written and quoted from the Impressionists themselves. There are also articles and quotes from writers, collectors, friends, and enemies of the Impressionists.
This book has brought the Impressionists down to a more personal level for me. There are so many myths and stories to sift through to get to the truth about this group of artists. Some questions I raised were: What were their likes and dislikes about art? What techniques did they really use? Were they as opposed to the salon as everyone says they were? Were they as friendly and cohesive a group as many believe them to be? This book answered many of these questions.
The Impressionists did get into quarrels and disagreements about many topics. There were also times when they were in direct competition with one another. Hycinthe-Eugene Murer, who was a close friend of Renior and Pissarro, invited Renior to his home for dinner. He was surprised at what Renior had to say about Pissarro at the table. Here is Murer's recollection of Renior's conversation:
Over the dessert Renior told us that all day long he had been about from place to place with a picture under his arm trying to sell it. Everywhere he had been bowed out with the words: 'You have come too late. Pissarro has just been here. I've taken a picture from him as a matter of common humanity. You know, poor chap, with all those youngsters.' This 'poor chap', repeated at every door he knocked at, exasperated Renior, who was very much put out at not having sold anything. 'What?' He cried, with that good-natured ogre's voice of his, and rubbing his nose nervously with his forefinger - a familiar gesture of his - 'because I'm a bachelor and have no childern, am I to die of starvation? I'm in just as tight a corner as Pissarro, but nobody says "poor Renior".'
It is quotes, like the one above, which bring the Impressionists to life for me. The book is loaded with many quotes similar to the one above that answer many questions that I had. The Impressionist paintings alone are incredible, but to also have an understanding of the personalities behind the paintings is a bonus to me. Denvir's book has given me a personal view of the Impressionists and it has reminded me that these "giants" of the art world were indeed human.