Looking for something artsy to do this weekend in the D.C. area? Attend a gallery tour of French art at the National Gallery on Saturday, July 7, and Sunday, July 8.
Attend a Guided Tour of the National Gallery's French Collection from the 18th and 19th centuries this Saturday, July 7, and Sunday, July 8, 2007.
In the 18th century, France was an absolute monarchy and the academic style favored by the government and the official Art Salon dictated the success of artists and the direction of public taste.
But in the 19th century, French artists began to rebel. They began to paint for the open market, deciding on their own subject matter and creating innovative styles. They scandalized the public by revering everyday subjects of modern life.
By the middle of the 19th century the system of academic art had deteriorated.
This guided Gallery Tour reviews great works by a variety of France's artists, from Romantic and Realist to Impressionists and Post-Impressionists like Cézanne, Gauguin, and Van Gogh.
The Guided Tour begins at 3:30 p.m. Visitors should meet in the West Building Rotunda.
