This four-week lecture series examines the museum’s exhibition The Movement of Impressionism: Europe, America, and the Northwest through the lens of multiple genres—painting, literature, music, and photography—and the perspectives of various experts in those genres. Each one-hour lecture begins promptly at 1 pm in the Murray Family Event Space at Tacoma Art Museum. |
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Beginning with an examination of the main tenets of French impressionism, this lecture will transition to a discussion of the factors that led to American artists’ and the American public’s embrace of impressionism.The lecture will close by considering some reasons for the lingering appeal and legacy of impressionism in the 21st century.
Susan Casteras is Professor of Art History at the University of Washington, Seattle. She holds a PhD, MPhil, and MA in the History of Art from Yale University, and a BA in Art History and English Literature from Vassar College. Following a brief overview of impressionism and post-impressionism in the visual arts, this lecture will focus on the literary impressionism of Virginia Woolf. Her novels, Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, illustrate the ways in which she developed a unique style of literary impressionism. This revealing comparison will draw on the work of both artistic and literary experts. Nicole Blair teaches literature and writing at the University of Washington, Tacoma. She received her PhD from the University of Tennessee and her MA in English from the University of Southern Mississippi. She also holds a BA in Music. The late 19th-century impressionist movement in painting found its perfect resonance in the era’s music scene. This lecture explores the ways in which pioneering composers were able to free themselves from the dominant German romantic style of Wagner and Brahms and create a completely original aesthetic, which echoed in the groundbreaking works of Delacroix, Manet, and Pissarro.
Christophe Chagnard is a co-founder of the Northwest Sinfonietta and one of the most sought-after conductors in the Pacific Northwest. His musical training took place at Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory. In the early part of the 20th century, American pictorial photography emulated the era’s painting and printmaking styles, especially in its reliance on impressionist techniques. Regional photographers excelled in their field with technical and compositional innovations that created both a national and international impact.
David Martin is co-owner of Martin-Zambito Fine Art in Seattle and is an independent arts researcher, curator, and writer. He is the author of several publications and regional catalogues, and a contributor for national and international publications. Cost for the full four-week series is $50; $30 for members. Individual lectures are $15; $10 for members; $5 for students with I.D. To register in advance, email Education@TacomaArtMuseum.org or call 253.722.2455. Educator clock hours are available for the full series only, not individual lectures. | |
Join each week’s lecturer and the museum director or curator for lunch at the nearby Hotel Murano BITE Restaurant prior to the Know More Art lectures. Ten percent of the proceeds will benefit Tacoma Art Museum. You may also enter to win a $50 BITE gift certificate and a comp- limentary stay at Hotel Murano during one of the weekly drawings. 
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about BITE at Hotel Murano. |