Peter H. Feist

This inspiring collection covers the work, the lives, and the enduring impact of five key Impressionists, in one volume that’s a primer and a celebration of probably the most popular artistic genre of all time. Each featured artist broke boundaries in different ways, astounding late 19th-century society with their boldness of vision and technique. Edgar Degas explored movement and the human form with masterly style and innovative compositions, most famously of dancers, racehorses, and busy streetscapes. Claude Monet was a maestro of light and atmosphere, capturing the fleeting moment with his iconic water lilies and series paintings. Pierre-Auguste Renoir celebrated beauty and sensuality, bringing vibrancy to everyday scenes with lush brushwork and a radiant palette. Paul Gauguin sought inspiration in the exotic, using bold colors and symbolism, often to unsettling effect. Finally, Vincent van Gogh’s highly emotive use of color and vigorous brushstrokes conveyed his private turmoil and did much to lay the groundwork for Expressionism. Together, these five creative masters redefined what art dared to achieve, emphasizing personal expression alongside their exploration of light, color, and perspective. Their output marked a pivotal shift to modern artistic freedoms and expectations. This collection looks beyond their most famous works and includes an extensive text on each artist’s oeuvre, alongside a detailed biography and more than 400 high-quality color illustrations.

This inspiring collection covers the work, the lives, and the enduring impact of five key Impressionists, in one volume that’s a primer and a celebration of probably the most popular artistic genre of all time. Each featured artist broke boundaries in different ways, astounding late 19th-century society with their boldness of vision and technique. Edgar Degas explored movement and the human form with masterly style and innovative compositions, most famously of dancers, racehorses, and busy streetscapes. Claude Monet was a maestro of light and atmosphere, capturing the fleeting moment with his iconic water lilies and series paintings. Pierre-Auguste Renoir celebrated beauty and sensuality, bringing vibrancy to everyday scenes with lush brushwork and a radiant palette. Paul Gauguin sought inspiration in the exotic, using bold colors and symbolism, often to unsettling effect. Finally, Vincent van Gogh’s highly emotive use of color and vigorous brushstrokes conveyed his private turmoil and did much to lay the groundwork for Expressionism. Together, these five creative masters redefined what art dared to achieve, emphasizing personal expression alongside their exploration of light, color, and perspective. Their output marked a pivotal shift to modern artistic freedoms and expectations. This collection looks beyond their most famous works and includes an extensive text on each artist’s oeuvre, alongside a detailed biography and more than 400 high-quality color illustrations.

This inspiring collection covers the work, the lives, and the enduring impact of five key Impressionists, in one volume that’s a primer and a celebration of probably the most popular artistic genre of all time. Each featured artist broke boundaries in different ways, astounding late 19th-century society with their boldness of vision and technique. Edgar Degas explored movement and the human form with masterly style and innovative compositions, most famously of dancers, racehorses, and busy streetscapes. Claude Monet was a maestro of light and atmosphere, capturing the fleeting moment with his iconic water lilies and series paintings. Pierre-Auguste Renoir celebrated beauty and sensuality, bringing vibrancy to everyday scenes with lush brushwork and a radiant palette. Paul Gauguin sought inspiration in the exotic, using bold colors and symbolism, often to unsettling effect. Finally, Vincent van Gogh’s highly emotive use of color and vigorous brushstrokes conveyed his private turmoil and did much to lay the groundwork for Expressionism. Together, these five creative masters redefined what art dared to achieve, emphasizing personal expression alongside their exploration of light, color, and perspective. Their output marked a pivotal shift to modern artistic freedoms and expectations. This collection looks beyond their most famous works and includes an extensive text on each artist’s oeuvre, alongside a detailed biography and more than 400 high-quality color illustrations.

This inspiring collection covers the work, the lives, and the enduring impact of five key Impressionists, in one volume that’s a primer and a celebration of probably the most popular artistic genre of all time. Each featured artist broke boundaries in different ways, astounding late 19th-century society with their boldness of vision and technique. Edgar Degas explored movement and the human form with masterly style and innovative compositions, most famously of dancers, racehorses, and busy streetscapes. Claude Monet was a maestro of light and atmosphere, capturing the fleeting moment with his iconic water lilies and series paintings. Pierre-Auguste Renoir celebrated beauty and sensuality, bringing vibrancy to everyday scenes with lush brushwork and a radiant palette. Paul Gauguin sought inspiration in the exotic, using bold colors and symbolism, often to unsettling effect. Finally, Vincent van Gogh’s highly emotive use of color and vigorous brushstrokes conveyed his private turmoil and did much to lay the groundwork for Expressionism. Together, these five creative masters redefined what art dared to achieve, emphasizing personal expression alongside their exploration of light, color, and perspective. Their output marked a pivotal shift to modern artistic freedoms and expectations. This collection looks beyond their most famous works and includes an extensive text on each artist’s oeuvre, alongside a detailed biography and more than 400 high-quality color illustrations.

One of the leading lights of the Impressionist movement, Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841–1919) remains a towering figure in art history with enduring public appeal. Sun-kissed, charming, and sensual, his work shows painting at its most lighthearted and luminous, while championing the plein air and color innovations of his time. Renoir’s oeuvre was prolific, with some several thousand works in his lifetime. Much influenced by forerunners such as Courbet, Degas, Manet, Delacroix, he worked with contemporary peers such as Monet to explore fresh uses of color and brushwork, rendering texture and depth with different-hued daubs. Drawn to intimate and tender human scenes, his subjects include lovers, mothers, and numerous nudes. As his career progressed, Renoir investigated different styles and techniques, shifting away from the feathery Impressionist touch to a more robust, classical corporeality, sometimes called his “Ingres period,” and later to monumental pieces such as The Bathers. From the abundant output of his lengthy career, this essential artist introduction selects key Renoir works to explore his innovations in the art of painting, as much as his traditions in pursuit of beauty, harmony, and the female form. About the seriesBorn back in 1985, the Basic Art Series has evolved into the best-selling art book collection ever published. Each book in TASCHEN’s Basic Art series features:a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importancea concise biographyapproximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions

One of the leading lights of the Impressionist movement, Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841–1919) remains a towering figure in art history with enduring public appeal. Sun-kissed, charming, and sensual, his work shows painting at its most lighthearted and luminous, while championing the plein air and color innovations of his time. Renoir’s oeuvre was prolific, with some several thousand works in his lifetime. Much influenced by forerunners such as Courbet, Degas, Manet, Delacroix, he worked with contemporary peers such as Monet to explore fresh uses of color and brushwork, rendering texture and depth with different-hued daubs. Drawn to intimate and tender human scenes, his subjects include lovers, mothers, and numerous nudes. As his career progressed, Renoir investigated different styles and techniques, shifting away from the feathery Impressionist touch to a more robust, classical corporeality, sometimes called his “Ingres period,” and later to monumental pieces such as The Bathers. From the abundant output of his lengthy career, this essential artist introduction selects key Renoir works to explore his innovations in the art of painting, as much as his traditions in pursuit of beauty, harmony, and the female form.

Sun-kissed, charming, and sensual, the work of Pierre-Auguste Renoir champions painting at its most lighthearted and luminous. This essential artist introduction selects key works from his extensive oeuvre to explore his Impressionist innovations as much as his traditions in pursuit of beauty, harmony, and the female form.