The Judgment of Paris

The Revolutionary Decade that Gave the World Impressionism

By: Ross King

Narrated by: Tristan Layton

Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

While the Civil War raged in America, another very different revolution was beginning to take shape across the Atlantic, in the studios of Paris. The artists who would make Impressionism the most popular art form in history were showing their first paintings amid scorn and derision from the French artistic establishment. Indeed, no artistic movement has ever been, at its inception, quite so controversial. The drama of its birth, played out on canvas, would at times resemble a battlefield. With a novelist's skill and the insight of a historian, Ross King reveals how Impressionism would reorder both history and culture as it resonated around the world.

A tale of many artists, The Judgment of Paris revolves around the lives of two, described as "the two poles of art": Ernest Meissonier, the most famous and successful painter of the 19th century, hailed for his precision and devotion to history; and Edouard Manet, reviled in his time, who nonetheless heralded the most radical change in the history of art since the Renaissance. Out of the most fascinating story of their parallel lives, illuminated by their legendary supporters and critics, King recalls a seminal period when Paris was the artistic center of the world, and a revolutionary art movement had the power to electrify and divide a nation.

©2006 Ross King (P)2006 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC

Critic reviews

"King is a master at linking pivotal moments in art history to epic rivalries....Supremely engaging and illuminating." (Booklist)

great for art lovers

Would you listen to The Judgment of Paris again? Why?

The book is read in British English, which made listening to it challenging. An art history lover, or a painter might find this book highly interesting.The book would be stronger with illustrations to accompany it.I ended up buying the kindle version.The kindle version could benefit from more illustrations.

Ross King's Masterpiece

I listen to this book or King's book on Claude Monet almost every night and have for the last 3 years while I fall asleep. The narrator is wonderful, his pronunciation of French is beautiful. The stories of the artists, critics, politicians and historical events are engaging and I can listen anywhere in the book and find it interesting. I feel like an expert in the French artistic history from about 1850s to 1880s and wish I could have had this book when I was in college. The dramatic description of the siege of Paris and "Bloody Week" were incredible and puts me into the scene. This book is truly a masterful work. He writes extensively about women artists, I only wish he had included Mary Cassatt.

Excellent

Rare insights into French and Parisian cultural history of the 1860-1870's. Expertly delivered.

Excellent 19th century view of art and artists in

I really enjoy this reading of the history of art in Paris. Also the turmoil that occurred during this period that affected the artists and residents in and around Paris. I will listen to it again and again. I learned a lot from it!

Surprisingly dull

I had expected a thoroughgoing history of the artistic movement in Ross King’s usual readable, accessible style. Instead it is a dull and deep dive into French military and governmental history of the 1860s and 70s, and personal lives of the now-forgotten old-school painter Ernest Meissonier and the early (but not really iconic) Impressionist Edouard Manet. It does not offer deep or technical insight into the development and philosophy of the Impressionist art form, touching only briefly on such giants as Monet and Renoir, and then only to document their comings and goings as related to those of Meissonier and Manet. What a disappointment.

As for the British-accented narrator, he and his French accent are perfectly serviceable for the purposes of this book. If your ear for and understanding of French are so acute, buy the audio book in a French translation.

Harsh judgments

It is pretty commom knowledge the impressionist had a difficult cultural battle to become even somewhat accepted. At the end of this listen I am still not positive if France has totally accepted impressionism or the Americans love of the genre make it impossible to believe the style is not loved universally. Ross King's Michangelio and the Pope Ceiling is such a great listen that comparison is unfair. This is a good, interesting listen but difficult. It has taken me almost a year to complete. I love art especially this period but to give this book more that 3 stars is impossible - art lovers have at it, the rest take a pass.

Good art history info

I teach art.
This was a good overview of the transition to impressionism.
I recommend it if you are interested in the topic.

TRANSITION, WAR, AND REBELLION

The Judgment of Paris offers a story of rebellion and art's transition from classic to impressionistic realism. Art's transition takes place in the context of war. Though Ross King’s book is largely about an art movement, it is also about France’s transition from monarchy to republic. King shows that art and history are judged by Paris’ events.

King cleverly melds the transition of art with transition in politics in "The Judgment of Paris". Change is shown to be a hard; with unpredictable consequence. Consequence of change is measured by time and recorded history. Change of minds and alliances inch society closer to something different; both in art and politics. History records the value of the difference.

Brilliant!

What a wonderful audiobook! The narrator is perfectly matched and gives a terrific performance. It is delighfully entertaiing while at the same time being informative. Highly reccommended.

All over the place

This is a history of the Paris Salon in mid nineteenth century where every year paint artists compete for space at the exhibit in the Champs Elysee palace. It's mainly about Manet and Meissonier with asides about other impressionists. The core is a discussion of the transition from realism ( Meissonier) to impressionism (Manet and others) and the politics of the Salon. Not very interesting, yet somewhat informative. The text is rambling but has a good narrator.