Other than three months instruction under Jean-Léon Gérôme, Raffaelli had no formal painting training. He was an actor before deciding to be a painter and was able to exhibit one of his landscapes in the Salon. His style and subject matter was closer to the Realists than traditional Academicism, however; he depicted his era and its people as he saw them. This caught the attention of Edgar Degas who invited Raffaelli to exhibit with the Impressionists. Monet got pissy about letting a non-Impressionist into their space though, so he refused to exhibit that year.

While considered a Realist, this work is definitely impressionistic. The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris seems to be a favorite subject for Raffaelli as he paints it many times from different vantage points over the course of his career, in different styles and media. Monet has a very famous series of images of Rouen Cathedral that Raffaelli might be referencing, but Monet’s Rouen works are a series, these of Notre Dame are not. This may have been a response to Monet’s snub or Raffaelli’s experimenting with Impressionism because of his direct exposure to it, but it’s hard to say. I could find no date for this specific work.

Kris at the Mid-Morning Art Thread at AoSHQ

Realism. Academicism. Impressionism. There’s one other movement in art at this time but I cannot remember what is was called. Not the “Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.” Not my alley, but an interesting diversion!

Carry on!