"In 1874, a group of artists now known as the Impressionists held their first groundbreaking exhibition in Paris. With their vibrant, loose brushwork and focus on capturing fleeting moments of light and colour, they revolutionized the art world 150 years ago.Initially, critics found the works rather sketchy and had little enthusiasm for them. Dutch museums and art collectors, too, were slow to embrace this new art. However, our national collections now boast many splendid French Impressionist works, united for the first time in this richly illustrated publication. These include paintings as well as pastels, drawings, prints and sculptures by artists such as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Mary Cassatt, Paul Cézanne, Edouard Manet, Auguste Rodin and Berthe Morisot. This publication includes descriptions of each work, delving into how it arrived in the Netherlands and who played a pivotal role in that process. Often, these were visionary private collectors, whose foresight and decisive actions were instrumental in securing masterpieces that now form part of Dutch national heritage." -- back cover