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An entirely fresh study of how, at the end of the nineteenth century, the neighborhood of Montmartre nurtured a vital, innovative and unique community of artists who revolutionized Western art.
After the 1871 Paris Commune, Montmartre played a significant artistic role; its unique geographical, political and social situation attracted independent artists, writers and musicians and allowed them fully to develop their bohemian and revolutionary spirit. Its cabarets, cafés, circus, dancehalls and theatres made Montmartre a popular cultural centre. Drawing on important artworks from the Weisman & Michel Collection and the Musée de Montmartre, Paris, as well as a wealth of archival photography, maps and prints to illustrate its narrative text, this volume presents up to 180 stunning colour illustrations. It includes works by Auguste Renoir, Pablo Picasso, Suzanne Valadon, Henri Matisse and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and sheds light on central figures that were forgotten by history such as Louis Anquetin and Henri-Gabriel Ibels.
A timeline of key moments and events in Montmartre from 1870-1910, a map of Montmartre showing the locations of studio spaces, residences and cabarets, and a selected bibliography provide important sources of new information for scholars. This book is an invitation to readers to enter that world and begin to explore the intensity and enduring expression of the creative energies of its personalities, who contributed so significantly to the beginnings of modern art.
"Lushly illustrated and meticulously detailed, it’s a gripping read, whether you’re a fan of modern art, French culture, or simply great stories and big personalities."—Natalie Haddad, Hyperallergic
"A wonderfully entertaining book about a time, a place, and the people in it. It’s also informative about what the artists were doing as they developed new ideas about painting. It is liberally illustrated with paintings, drawings, and photographs, and there are notes, a bibliography, and an index. Reading it reminds us that Montmartre played an important part in the history of modern art, as well as providing the basis for colourful stories about bohemians."—Jim Burns, Northern Review of Books
Phillip Dennis Cate is director emeritus of the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University, NJ and an independent scholar and curator.
Saskia Ooms is head of collections and curator at the Musée Cognacq-Jay in Paris and former head of collections at the Musée de Montmartre, Paris.
David E. Weisman is the founder together with his wife, Jacqueline E. Michel, of the Weisman & Michel Collection of art.