How to Read Impressionism is a new, original examination of the nineteenth-century movement that changed art forever and led to the recognition of many painters such as Monet, Renoir, Degas, Seurat, and Cassatt.

James Rubin organizes this book not by artists or chronologically, but by different common themes such as cityscapes and life, interiors and still lifes, and family and friends. In doing so, he provides readers with the tools to think critically and analytically about the Impressionist movement. He proposes a new understanding of the common momentum that pushed artists to address modern themes, originality, and work with dedication. By comparing key works, Rubin provides a good reading of the paintings, selecting impressive paintings made with vibrant colors, establishing connections between the broad visual culture of the period, Impressionist artists, and their own careers; he approaches the history of Impressionism in a completely new way.

James H. Rubin is a professor of art history at Stony Brook State University of New York, where he chaired the department for fifteen years.
(From the Promotional Bulletin)