S’allier au temps d’une République conservatrice. La Société des Artistes Peintres, Sculpteurs, Graveurs et Lithographes

• Autores: Catherine Meneux
• Localización: Revue de l'art, ISSN 0035-1326, Nº. 223, 2024 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Impressionnisme), págs. 5-19
• Idioma: francés
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• Resumen

  • The recent discovery of the act of constitution of the "Société des Artistes Peintres, Sculpteurs, Graveurs, et Lithographes" in the Archives de Paris opens the way for a clarification of the narrative of the genesis of the "Première Exposition" known as "Impressionist". Knowlwdge of this act makes it possible to distinguish two moments: on the one hand, the event of the first twenty-two members of the Society, created on December 27, 1873, and, on the other hand, the period of the thirty-one participants at its exhibition organized in the former studios of the photographer, Nadar from April 15 to May 15, 1874.

    More generally, it would invite us to take another look at the common motivations of the members of this famous association that have too often been understood through the prism of Impressionism. Among the reasons invoked, the refusal of the Salon juries, the post-war context and Paul Durand-Ruel's difficulties are the most cited. However, little consideration has been given in these accounts to the cooperative ideal supported by the founders of the Society, an ideal openly opposed to the elitist politics pursued by the directors of the fine arts during the time of a conservative Republic. It is indeed not insignificant that the utopic idea of a federation of artists, administered in a democratic way appeared during this period and "the Société des Artistes Peintres, Sculpteurs, Graveurs, et Lithographes" is perhaps one of the most representative concretizations. It is in this perspective that this article looks back at its history, which is that of a disparate regrouping of artists who were in favor of cooperative functioning, and who minimized aesthetic questions in favor of a collective dynamic bearer of freedom and of solidarity.