American Art at the Nineteenth-Century Paris Salons

American Art at the Nineteenth-Century Paris Salons is a study of nineteenth-century American art within the context of French art as presented at the Paris Salons - annual exhibitions of contemporary art which, at the time, were the most important events in the Western world. Centres of international activity for artists, critics, patrons, dealers and government officials, the Salons provided an appropriate setting to discuss concepts about artists and art institutions, and to consider the interpretation of themes and imagery in paintings and sculptures. Through acceptance at the Paris exhibitions, American artists won international renown during their lifetimes and, they devoutly hoped, a place in history among the great masters of Western art. This book examines the extent and impact of the relation of American art to the French in the nineteenth century, an understanding of some of the problems of the artist in American culture, and an awareness of the search of American artists for relevance and meaning in their works. This book contains a list of all 5,000 Salon works exhibited by Americans throughout the century, which includes not only the titles of works shown at each exhibition, but also a record of artists' teachers and their addresses.