Making a first impression all over again
"Terms and Conditions"
“You cannot answer a question that you cannot ask, and you cannot ask a question that you have no words for.”
Judea Pearl
The smell - or taste of food from your youth occasionally, vividly reminds you of that time long past. The unique moment, seared in your memory when you had an insight that changed your life. This was it for the moment that would change his world: Claude Monet, the young aspiring artist in training, was ambling along the Normandy port. He had decided to visit the place he grew up in Le Havre to look for inspiration from his youth. In Paris, he had found his calling in art, but success had still been elusive. Having left the sleepy coastal town, he had gone inland to exciting Paris - to look for his essence; to search for his passion. But recently, he realised that he missed the edge of his youth – the fresh air, the baguettes in patisserie Le Blanc and the morning sunrise.
Born in Paris, his family had moved to Le Havre to start a shipping and grocery business. His life would have turned out very differently had he stayed in Paris. His interest had never been with his father’s business. Wanting to become a painter early on meant that his father had pulled his support. Finally, he had sent him away to join the army in Algeria. Eventually though, he had managed to make his way out into the art world, a warzone with paint - equally scary, yet more fulfilling.
Since then, he had made his way to Paris to learn to paint from some of the masters of his time. They trained him their ways which had proved hard. For one, he could not stay indoors all the time to paint subjects he did not care about. Painting outdoor scenes should not be some second-rate genre he had thought. In the end, he believed, painting is like life which is more complex and diverse. Art should be – he thought - a reflection of reality. Maybe one day, he hoped that people would appreciate art for more than its aesthetic value. The realistic reflections of what is directly apparent are too simple – there is more. The skills that were required by those square, bespectacled Parisian artists killed him.
He believed that he should not be too harsh on his masters. After all, throughout the ages even artists had been conformist. How good would it be, to have people recognise that one’s individual point of view also counts? At least his friends agreed with him. But the trick would be to convince the world. He knew that people would appreciate his art eventually, but it would be a long, uphill struggle.
Back in Le Havre he slowly moved around some pebbles with his foot. He used to love to do that as a child. Picking up the biggest pebble and threw it out as far as possible into the sea. The glimmers of sunrise reflected in the sea caught his eye. They reminded him of that afternoon he spent doorbell calling as a prank with his friends. When they eventually were caught by – no less than one of his neighbours - Paul and he ran all the way to sea to hide. Exhausted from the long run with his hands on his thighs - they hid until sunset. That sunset had engendered similar sun reflections in the sea… He should really capture this impression… He did not know what that painting would trigger.... That painting and others from that same exhibit would create a cascade of events that would change his life. Finally, it would see his paintings hung on the walls of the most venerated museums and residences around the world.
Quickly walking to his lodging at Madame Bovary’s place, he conjured up the painting, in his mind’s eye. Getting more excited with the vision, he bolted back even faster. This is what they had been working on for a while with Pierre, Edouard and Camille and Claude. They had been slaving away, trying to make paintings that were not set up to the salon’s strict criteria. The French leading art institution at the time, the “Paris Salon” required each artist to adhere to its dogma to be exhibited in their annual fair. They would catch a break though. He was sure of it.
However, various trends coalesced, to spur the emergence of impressionism. One is competition and the diversification that it created space for: some suggest that photography created space for less realistic painting. If you like realistic representations, surely camera portraits would be best suited for that? Painting with its interesting brush strokes-, colours, and settings, now provided a good counterbalance for the staid portraits of old.
Demand for art increased as well, with a new bourgeoisie and their appetite to fill large apartments. This new bourgeoisie was more open to novelty. Art would not just be for the sake of decorating a castle and impressing friends. Therefore, something more playful, colourful, and light would adorn a wall and connect more with the taste of Parisians and modern art lovers around the world like the United States.
Break in Paris
1874 - Back in “The city of love”, bustling Paris: the preparations of their latest fair, were in full swing. “Is all set up for today?” Monet asked around, anxiously moving around looking for support. Pissarro pulling his long, white beard, was always there “Yes, do not worry - it will be fine. Finally, we have our own exhibit, so what can go wrong my friend? The salon does not have a grip on us anymore!”
They had chosen the location for its convenience. Napoleon III had decided that there should be a “salon de refuses” - a place for rejected artworks from the French Academy. The photographer Nadar had offered to showcase the novel paintings at his studio. Running in, Edouard Manet excitedly exclaimed “Did you see your painting from Le Havre? It is mentioned in the press” “Ok…” Claude replied and responded unimpressed “Did they like it?” Edouard agitatedly exclaimed “No! They are again mocking our works and particularly yours. They are calling it “Salon of impressionists.” As if what we create is only an impression and not some finished work.”
Pissarro stoically intervened, taking the paper from Edouard’s hand. While having a look at it he calmly remarked “I guess that’s their view – we will have to prove them wrong. Anyway, I believe that it can only be a good thing to have news written about you. We have been trying to create these paintings for a while now. I feel we are now getting momentum! Haven’t we been trying to get this type of coverage since the 60’s already?
That morning, a trickle of visitors to the exhibition became a stream, turning into droves. Walking in, one after the other, the bourgeoisie from Paris made their entry to see these new paintings. Monet observed the clients from a distance, intrigued by them, studying the paintings from afar and up close moving their heads sideways and nearly upside down, to show their “familiarity” with art. One thing became clear, this was not the typical crowd you would see at the French Academy annual affair. “There is a whole latent market for whom art was not defined that it is now accessible for!” he thought.
After a long day, the last visitor walked out just after midnight. With a sigh of relief that all had gone well, Pissarro closed the door behind him – nearly falling over from exhaustion. The artists dithered outside for a moment aimlessly, looking at one another. Claude – ever the leader - decided to show the way by walking out onto pebbled streets of Montmartre, his arms in a victory pose. What better way to celebrate than with a drink in the neighbouring cafes?! They were jubilant. They had not stopped believing!
The Bohemians were still discussing in the early morning. Claude, clearly drunk, pointed at glass of wine glass saying “Art is a much more fluid than we had all thought. I believe that art will expand like an entropic whiff and will mimic the reality that we are meant to depict in the first place” pleased with his inebriated, quasi-poetic self. Slouching down “Art, out of all fields of human endeavour, should reflect a wide spectrum of ideas.” Spilling wine on the floor. Pissarro jumping in to save the day “Today has shown that people determine the art they want. New, modern art techniques and style – I believe - will continue to emerge. Art should not be solely for the happy few. One day, all people will have access to art. Reflecting the world’s physical and conceptual diversity, art should be its main agent for change.”