Ernst Meissonier and Art for the French Bourgeoisie
Master in his Genre

This study documents the career of one of the most widely-known French artists of the nineteenth century. The embodiment of mainstream taste, Jean-Louis-Ernst Meissonier was scorned by the avant-garde but was highly regarded by his middle-class clientele for his jewel-like genre paintings. Examining his art in detail, Constance Cain Hungerford follows Meissonier's formation as a wood-engraving designer, to his virtuous production of small scale genre scenes, his larger battlefield paintings, and his several images of modern revolution and war. Also analysed is the state-administered exhibition system, in which Meissonier excelled, as well as the developing art market, in both Europe and the United States.

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'Well researched, carefully considered, elegantly written, and skilfully argued Dr Hungerford succeeds admirably in explaining how Meissonier with less rebellious imagination and his journey-man standards of execution was indisputably one of the most eminent artists of his day.' The Art Newspaper

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Product details

• Date Published: July 1999
• format: Hardback
• isbn: 9780521632409
• length: 288 pages

• dimensions: 262 x 185 x 26 mm
• weight: 0.98kg
• contains: 98 b/w illus. 4 colour illus.
• availability: Unavailable - out of print November 2007