February and March 2012
McCullough, David, The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris
Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough has written a sweeping account of American painters, authors, sculptors, and authors who journeyed to Paris in the 19th century. Most of these artists considered Paris the mecca of artistic inspiration and production. With a bibliography to astound even the most cynical of readers, McCullough has gathered information on John Singer Sargent, Henry James, Mary Cassatt, and many, many others, as they all found a niche among, not only their fellow compatriots, but also the artistic community in Paris. We learn various tidbits about their lives and their work, their successes and ideas. McCullough even includes mention of a group of Mormon painters who went to Paris to study art, sponsored by the LDS Church in order to supply murals for the Salt Lake Temple (although we have many more paintings from them, as well). Even through the war with Prussia in 1870-72, many of these artists stayed, when Parisians were eating rats to survive. Some left Paris to return to America, and others returned on subsequent visits, yearning for the inspiration they found in Paris. You can listen on CD, but I also got the book from the library, because there are three extensive sections of pictures, denoting many of the famous works that McCullough describes in his book. McCullough has written many other historical works, all of which I would highly recommend.
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