National Gallery of Art -1874: the Birthday of Impressionism

On April 15, 1874, thirty one artists, know as the “Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers, etc" opened an exhibit in Paris. This relatively unknown group of artists were considered too avant-garde and had been barred from the Paris Salon's annual exhibition which drew a half a million viewers and could make or break an artist. The thirty one artists gained the name Impressionist after an art critic wrote a satirical review in a Paris magazine. The exhibit was not a success as few painting were sold but many of the artists which included Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, and Paul Cézanne, became renown figures in the art world. 

The exhibit showcases 125 pieces of art that were displayed at both Paris exhibitions and highlights the difference in artistic style and subject matter. A brief history with details of the French defeat in Franco-Prussian War of 1871 and the civil war that followed helps to explain the mood of the city in this period. 

This is a traveling exhibit, first shown in Paris. It opened in DC in September and will continue until January, not a long run so it's crowded with visitors. Everything is accessible. 

When visiting DC we park on one of the street around the National Mall. On most streets the fee is $2.00 an hour payable by credit card or phone app and and limited to three hours. The spaces are not marked with lines so RVs fees are the same as car fees.  Museum  38.89065, -77.01853