The emergence of the French impressionists in the last third of the 19th century ignited an aesthetic revolution that toppled the establishment and irreversibly altered the course of art history.
Despite the undeniably radical character of their paintings, which put a premium on light, spontaneity and contemporaneity, the impressionists nonetheless embraced tradition in significant if often underappreciated ways.
While facets of these ties to the old masters of primarily the 17th and 18th centuries have been explored in previous shows, “Inspiring Impressionism” is the first to take a wide-ranging look at such influences.
This stunning exhibition, which opened Saturday at the Denver Art Museum and runs through May 25, scores success in virtually every way and should be a big hit with visitors.
Unlike many of the museum’s blockbusters, which originate elsewhere, “Inspiring Impressionism” was organized in Denver — a major undertaking for a regional museum with relatively limited holdings in the field.
Nine years in the making, the ambitious show contains 100 paintings and drawings from 70 public and private collections worldwide.
It is understandable to question the need for another impressionist exhibition given the overabundance of such offerings. But believe it or not, there is still more to be learned about this complex and diversified movement.
Even connoisseurs of impressionism will discover surprises in this exhibition, including virtually unknown, offbeat works by familiar artists, such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Dutch-like genre scene, “Skaters in the Bois de Boulogne” (1868).
Viewers less interested in fancy scholarly theses will find plenty of appealing works to please them, including such prototypical impressionist gems as Renoir’s sun-dappled portrait of two lovers, “Confidences” (1875), and Camille Pissarro’s “The Marly Road” (circa 1870).
Unlike some of the museum’s recent exhibitions, it is hard to fault any aspect of the installation. The show is wholly contained in the An- schutz Gallery, and it fits comfortably in the 11,000-square-foot space on the second floor of the Hamilton Building.
A big worry about this gallery, which has white walls as tall as 26 feet, is how smaller, more intimate works would look in the vast space. But the attractive arrangement of this show mitigates such concern.
By hanging the works on 7-foot-tall bands of color 2 feet off the floor, the museum creates the convincing illusion of a more intimate gallery. And the rectilinear nature of the bands successfully offsets the skewing effects of the angled walls.
While still offering ample text panels and a group of touch-screen computers, the museum has smartly focused on the art itself and minimized the accompanying education aids, which have proven distracting in some recent exhibitions.
As focused on the new as the impressionists were, nearly all of them paid heed in some way to the old masters, traveling abroad to see historical works in countries such as Spain and Holland and visiting the Louvre (opened to the public in 1793) to study and copy works.
In 1861, for example, Edgar Degas, attracted to aspects of the work’s composition, created a full-scale copy of Mantegna’s “Calvary” (circa 1457-59), giving it a looser, less finished and more contemporary look.
In some cases, the impressionists were drawn to certain qualities of national schools as a whole, but, more often, their interest focused on a specific old master, often ones unappreciated at the time.
A good example was Frans Hals (158 1/85-1666), a Dutch artist whose canvases were seen as slapdash and underfinished. But viewed in a more positive light, these qualities were exactly what the impressionists were seeking.
Édouard Manet, who is generously represented in this exhibition, was especially enamored of Hals. It is hard not to acknowledge the similarities between Manet’s “Victorine Meurent” (circa 1862) and Hals’ “Portrait of a Young Woman” (circa 1655-60), which are hung side by side.
In exploring the links between the old masters and the impressionists, the show highlights both direct and indirect connections.
Examples of the former include the extraordinary cross-fertilization surrounding “Meeting of Thirteen People,” a painting that was attributed to Diego Velázquez at the time Manet copied it at the Louvre, creating “The Little Cavaliers” (circa 1859-60).
Both of these works are on view, but the connections do not stop there. Manet went on to make an etched version of his painting, and Renoir incorporated that print into an 1871 painting, “Still Life With Bouquet.”
Another striking example of specific ties can been seen in the pairing of Degas’ almost exact copy (circa 1853- 54) of Raphael’s “Two Men Conversing on a Flight of Steps” (circa 1509) and the original.
In other cases, the ties are less explicit, revolving around what co-curator Ann Dumas calls in the show’s catalog “more generic responses” to composition, style and technique.
Some contrarians will no doubt seize upon the catalog essayists’ use, at times, of words such as “seem to” and “could have” in discussing the links. But, overall, the curators offer persuasive proof for their assertions, and the exhibition admirably furthers research on the movement.
Loosely following the catalog, the exhibition is divided into 11 color-coded, thematic sections, some focused on specific painting genres, such as landscapes and still lifes, and one devoted just to Manet and his influences.
These groupings generally cohere well and should help viewers make better sense of the exhibition’s overall thesis and the many points bolstering it.
The impressionists did not want to discard the past. Instead, they sought to borrow from it selectively and use what they gleaned in unprecedented ways.
“To my mind,” Cezanne once said, “one does not put oneself in the place of the past, one only adds a new link.”
Kyle MacMillan: 303-954-1675 or kmacmillan@denverpost.com
“Inspiring Impressionism”
Art. Denver Art Museum, West 13th Avenue between Broadway and Bannock Street. An exhibition of 100 old-master and impressionist paintings, drawings, offering new insights into the relationships between the old and new. Through May 25. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. $20, $17 seniors and college students, $12 ages 6 to 18 and free for members and children 5 or younger. Advance purchase recommended. 866-942-2787 or . Information only: 720-865-5000.
