On a French River
| On a French River | |
|---|---|
 On a French River on display in 2023 | |
| Artist | Emma Lampert Cooper |
| Year | late 1800s |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Movement | Impressionism |
| Dimensions | 45.7 cm × 56.2 cm (18.0 in × 22.1 in) |
| Location | Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, New York |
On a French River is an impressionist oil painting on canvas painted by the artist Emma Lampert Cooper during the late 1800s. It is a landscape painting that depicts a river scene in Parthenay, France. It is part of the permanent collection at the Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) in Rochester, New York.[1]Emma Lampert Cooper's husband, Colin Campbell Cooper,[2] also produced similar paintings in the same location when they traveled together. Specifically, the paintings titled Port St. Jacques, Parthenay, France, and A View of a European Village. Both of these paintings have been auctioned in the past and are privately owned.[3][4]
Location and conservation
On a French River was a gift of the couple Mildred and Alted Boylan to the Memorial Art Gallery 1996. It was also conserved in 2008 as a gift from Mildred and Alted Boylan. The painting is part of the permanent collection in the American Impressionism category at the Memorial Art Gallery.[1]
Subject and interpretation
On the back of the painting On a French River, the following words are inscribed: "A.P. Parthenay, France 215" or "At Parthenay, France / 215."[1] Indicating that the painting depicts a town located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France. The river Thouet flows through the town of Parthenay with medieval bridges spanning over it.
On a French River is one of the many impressionist landscape paintings by Emma Lampert Cooper. Impressionist painters often depicted landscape scenes with everyday people as their main subjects. They did this to capture both the ordinary working class and the bourgeoisie class. Their paintings frequently highlighted suburban and rural settings instead of cities.[5]
Impressionism and Parisian influences
Impressionism characteristics
In the painting, the American artist
The Rise of Impressionism
The artistic movement, Impressionism, was developed by a collective of artists based in Paris during the 19th century. The movement gained prominence through exhibitions of these artists in the 1870s and 1880s.[8] Artists such as Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, and Paul Cézanne had a significant influence on the movement of impressionism through their first exhibition in Paris in 1874.[8]
Influence of Impressionism on American Artists
Starting from the 1860s,
According to the magazine Gazette des Femmes, there were roughly three thousand active women artists in France during 1883.[10] One-third of them were American women artists who came to Paris every year.[11] During this time, Impressionism was one of the first movements that included women as its participants.[12]
Emma Lampert Cooper's Artistic Studies in Paris
The artist Emma Lampert Cooper also studied in Paris. She was born in Nunda, NY, she was first taught art by Agnes D. Abatt at Cooper Union and the Art Students League in New York City. She then left New York to study art in Paris at the art school Académie Delécluse under Harry Thompson around 1885, shortly after the popularization of the impressionist movement.[13][14]
Challenges Faced by Women Artists in Nineteenth-century Paris
Restricted Opportunities to prestigious art institutions
During the nineteenth century, It was widely regarded as inappropriate for women to study the male nude which was a core curriculum of art institutions. Therefore, Women were cut off completely from prestigious art institutions.[15] They often had difficulty finding a studio or a master that would accept them. Women were forced into private studios or female-only academies.[16] As a result, Emma Cooper also attended art schools which consisted of primarily women artists.[13]
Resistance from the Paris Salon
Since 1887, women's work has also met with growing resistance from the Paris Salon because it was controlled by a group of male artists. The Salon often rejected the works of these women artists and thus limited their potential for significant awards or achievement.[16] Furthermore, women artists were always referred to by their first and last names when exhibiting their art, or even with the word Madame before their names to emphasize their female identity in France. This practice denied women's right to receive unbiased judgment on their artworks.[12]
Restriction of women's freedom
It was socially unacceptable for young women to walk alone in the countryside because it would compromise their reputation.[17] This social norm limited their ability to paint en plein air (act of painting outdoors) which was a popular painting strategy often imposed by impressionist artists.[18]
Related paintings by Emma Lampert Cooper's husband Colin Campbell Cooper
Port St. Jacques, Parthenay, France by Colin Campbell Cooper
A View of a European Village by Colin Campbell Cooper
In addition to the painting "Port St. Jacques, Parthenay, France," Colin Campbell Cooper has another artwork titled "A View of a European Village." While it is uncertain whether this painting also depicts Parthenay, France, it is strikingly similar to "On a French River" in terms of its composition.[4]
The back of this painting is a short, handwritten note by Colin Campbell Cooper. The pencil markings state: "Rain, French Village Price $200.00," followed by his name, address, and the location of his studio. This painting is oil on board and measures 39 x 49 cm (15.4 x 19.3 in). This piece has been auctioned in the past and is privately owned.[4]
Nineteenth-Century Oil Painting
Pigment Development in the Nineteenth-Century
"On a French River" is a nineteenth-century
The process of creating in this
Adaptation for Outdoor Painting
As a result of the increasing popularity of outdoor
Studio Work
While many impressionist artists chose to start their work en plein air (act of painting outdoors). However, they often completed their paintings in the controlled environment of their studios. This change of location allowed them to refine their paintings and apply finishing touches to their artwork.[18]
References
- ^ a b c d "MAG Collection - On a French River". magart.rochester.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- ISBN 978-1-55595-269-3.
- ^ a b www.artnet.fr https://www.artnet.fr/artistes/colin-campbell-cooper/port-st-jacques-parthenay-france-hDc1OdU_xZaeHlZjN51Luw2. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ a b c www.artnet.com https://www.artnet.com/artists/colin-campbell-cooper/a-view-of-a-european-village-t0lsKa6uX9ArlK0PktOO5A2. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Samu, Authors: Margaret. "Impressionism: Art and Modernity | Essay | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History". The Met's Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- ^ The French Impressionists (1860-1900) by Camille Mauclair.
- ^ "American Impressionism Movement Overview". The Art Story. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- ^ ISBN 9780300042627, retrieved 2023-10-31
- ISBN 978-0-87099-700-6.
- ISBN 978-0-520-91657-9.
- ISBN 978-1-85709-301-8.
- ^ ISSN 1368-6267.
- ^ a b "Founders Biographies – Rochester Art Club". rochesterartclub.org. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- ISBN 978-1-4655-8332-1.
- ^ Myers, Authors: Nicole. "Women Artists in Nineteenth-Century France | Essay | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History". The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
- ^ S2CID 254019618.
- ISBN 978-88-7624-787-3.
- ^ JSTOR 42616124.
- ^ Tate. "Oil paint". Tate. Retrieved 2023-10-23.