Brushed by Light
Discover the lives and work of five iconic Impressionist artists
This inspiring collection covers the work, the lives, and the enduring impact of five key Impressionists, in one volume that’s a primer and a celebration of probably the most popular artistic genre of all time. Each featured artist broke boundaries in different ways, astounding late 19th-century society with their boldness of vision and technique.
Edgar Degas explored movement and the human form with masterly style and innovative compositions, most famously of dancers, racehorses, and busy streetscapes. Claude Monet was a maestro of light and atmosphere, capturing the fleeting moment with his iconic water lilies and series paintings. Pierre-Auguste Renoir celebrated beauty and sensuality, bringing vibrancy to everyday scenes with lush brushwork and a radiant palette. Paul Gauguin sought inspiration in the exotic, using bold colors and symbolism, often to unsettling effect. Finally, Vincent van Gogh’s highly emotive use of color and vigorous brushstrokes conveyed his private turmoil and did much to lay the groundwork for Expressionism.
Together, these five creative masters redefined what art dared to achieve, emphasizing personal expression alongside their exploration of light, color, and perspective. Their output marked a pivotal shift to modern artistic freedoms and expectations.
This collection looks beyond their most famous works and includes an extensive text on each artist’s oeuvre, alongside a detailed biography and more than 400 high-quality color illustrations.
The authors
Bernd Growe (1950–1992) was a leading German art historian, who worked at the Justus-Liebig-Universität in Gießen from 1979 to 1990.
Christoph Heinrich studied art history, theater, and German literature in Vienna and Munich, receiving his doctorate for his work on the changing concept of the monument in contemporary art. From 1994 till 2007, he was employed at the Hamburger Kunsthalle, where he was appointed curator of the Galerie der Gegenwart in 1997. Since 2007, Heinrich has been working as the Modern and Contemporary art curator at the Denver Art Museum. He is the author of numerous books and articles on 20th-century and contemporary art.
Ingo F. Walther (1940–2007) was born in Berlin and studied medieval studies, literature, and art history in Frankfurt am Main and Munich. He published numerous books on the art of the Middle Ages and of the 19th and 20th centuries. Walther’s many titles for TASCHEN include Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Art of the 20th Century, and Codices illustres.
Peter H. Feist (1928–2015) studied art history, history, and archaeology in Halle, where he was assistant lecturer from 1952 to 1958, receiving his doctorate in 1958. From 1958 to 1981 he worked at the Humboldt University of Berlin, and from 1982 to 1990 he was the director of the Institute for Aesthetics and Art Studies of the GDR Academy of Sciences in East Berlin. Feist has published numerous books on the history and theory of art, including TASCHEN’s Pierre-Auguste Renoir and, as coauthor, Impressionism.
