Art and the French Commune

The book delves into the intersection of Impressionism and the political landscape of post-Commune Paris, revealing how the bourgeois classes sought to erase the memory of the 1871 Commune and its socialist roots. Albert Boime argues that the rise of Impressionism was influenced by the conservative government's efforts to restore the city's traditional order and aesthetics after the upheaval. He highlights the tension between artistic expression and political power, framing Impressionism as a response to the societal need for historical amnesia regarding the socialist movement.