The Société des Trois in the Nineteenth Century

The Translocal Artistic Union of Whistler, Fantin-Latour, and Legros

Melissa Berry

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781032339313
• eBook ISBN: 9781351272902
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Art & Business

This book reframes the formative years of three significant artists: Henri Fantin-Latour, Alphonse Legros, and James McNeill Whistler. The trio's coming together as the Société des trois occurred during the emergence of the artistic avant-garde—a movement toward individualism and self-expression. Though their oeuvres appear dissimilar, it is imperative that the three artists' early work and letters be viewed in light of the Société, as it informed many of their decisions in both London and Paris. Each artist actively cultivated a translocal presence, creating artistic networks that transcended national borders. Thus, this book will serve as a comprehensive resource on the development, production, implications, and eventual end of the Société.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Plates
• Introduction
• 1 The Importance of Unity: Parisian Students in the Early Second Empire
• 2 United: The Formation of the Société
• 3 A Cross-Channel Union: Beyond Paris, Beyond Students
• 4 Unity in Action: 1863 and the Salon des Refusés
• 5 Unity on Canvas: Pivotal Portraits of the Société
• 6 The Union Undone: An Inevitable End
• Epilogue
• Bibliography
• Index