An afternoon with Monet, Renoir, and Degas: National Gallery of Art Tour: 19th Century French Paintings
Discover one of the most influential revolutions in the art world. Tour led by a docent at the National Gallery of Art.

Event Date

Sunday, September 30, 2018 at 1:15 PM

Event Address

National Gallery of Art, Meet us at the Cascade Waterfall of the Cascade Cafe (underground between the East and West Buildings)
605 Constitution Ave NW
Washington DC 20565

Requested Attire

Please wear comfortable attire suitable for a walking tour. The tour is presented inside the National Gallery of Art rain, shine or snow.

Event Description

Join your ICDC friends for a tour of the National Gallery of Art’s collection of 19th century French paintings. This is a great opportunity to meet other ICDC members who appreciate art. Please note that we will be meeting at the Cascade Café, located underground between the East and West buildings of the National Gallery of Art at the designated time. When you arrive at the Cascade Café, please look for us at the end of the moving walkway adjacent to the Cascade Waterfall.

As the nineteenth century began in France, the official Salon presided over by members of the Academy dictated the fates of artists and direction of public tastes. This soon began to change. Realists turned convention on its head to give heroic character to everyday subjects. Manet scandalized the public with his images of modern life. Other impressionists tried to capture fleeting effects of light and atmosphere.

For two hundred years, the Academy, the School of Fine Arts, and the Salon, the official exhibition, had fostered the French national artistic tradition. But by the middle of the nineteenth century the academic system had degenerated. During the 1860s and 1870s, the artists who later became known as the impressionists concluded that the smoothly idealized presentation of academic art was formulaic and artificial. Their relatively loose, open brushwork underscored their freedom from the meticulously detailed academic manner.

These artists thought that if their work was exhibited fairly, it would gain acceptance. They sought favorable viewing conditions such as good lighting and ample space between paintings, and they also wanted to exhibit more works than the two allowed by Salon rules. In 1874, Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Degas, Morisot, and Sisley led a number of friends to form an association and publicly presented the first group exhibition independent of the official Salon. They called themselves "Artists, Painters, Sculptors, Printmakers, etc., Inc." to avoid descriptive titles and pejorative epithets. Critics noted their unorthodox style and especially a work exhibited by Monet with the title Impression, Sunrise (Musée Marmottan, Paris) and sarcastically dubbed them "impressionists." The group, which presented eight exhibitions in all, survived until 1886. By then the core impressionists were beginning to attain a degree of popular success.

The cost of the tour is used to cover the operational expenses of the International Club of DC and is not related to the National Gallery of Art. Admission to the National Gallery of Art and to all its exhibitions, tours and other public educational programs is free of charge. Any charge or request for contributions is unrelated to the National Gallery of Art. For information about the Gallery please see:  www.nga.gov.

Event Agenda (May change)

Please arrive on time as the tour will start at the designated time.

Please arrive at the meeting location designated below at the time designated above.
We will proceed for the tour after we check in the attendees.
Please don't be late as the tour will start on time.

We Are Grateful for Your Support

We greatly appreciate your contribution towards the International Club of DC Inc by making your reservation. Your support makes it possible for us to present diverse cultural events to our members. Kindly note that your contribution is unrelated to the embassy or venue the event is being presented at and all proceeds from the event are used solely by International Club of DC Inc. to cover expenses related to presenting cultural events to our members.

Map/Parking

The National Gallery of Art is at the intersection of Constitution and 4th Street. The nearest Metro stops are Judiciary Square on the Red Line, Archives on the Yellow/Green Lines, and Smithsonian on the Blue/Orange Lines. Metro bus stops are located on 4th Street and 7th Street. Public parking is limited to the surrounding streets and commercial garages.

Please note that we will be meeting at the Cascade Café of the National Gallery of Art at the designated time. The Cascade Cafe is underground between the East and West buildings of the National Gallery of Art. When you arrive at the Cascade Café, please look for us at the end of the moving walkway adjacent to the Cascade Waterfall. Please not by reserving a ticket you accept the responsibility to arrive ON TIME at the designated time. We are unable to wait for late arrivals as the tour starts on time. Kindly note that if you arrive late or at a location other than the designated meeting location and miss the tour we are unable to issue a refund.

Please leave plenty of time for traffic, parking, or Metro delays. We suggest that you arrive early so you can enjoy lunch at the Cascade Cafe prior to the designated meeting time.


Please note that the map is enclosed below as a courtesy to you and for your convenience but we do not guarantee the accuracy of the map or the directions provided by Google. It is your responsibly to arrive safely and on time at the address of the event disclosed above.

Parking is limited to street parking in the vicinity of the venue. Kindly note that, as is the case in most major cities, the availability of street parking in Washington DC is limited and beyond our control. Due to the limited availability of parking, we highly recommend a cab, Uber/Lyft or other transportation option. The event start at the designated time so please allow sufficient time for traffic/travel/transportation and parking as these factors are beyond our control.