In the years between 1830 and 1848, the period know as the July Monarchy, French art underwent the major transformation from romanticism to realism. Yet, because of their transitional nature, the works of this period have often been ignored by art historians. By avoiding a concentration on either a single artist or a single "ism," the book illuminates this 18 year period. Named after the month in which Louis Philippe became "King of the French," the July Monarchy was a period of reconsideration, as both intellectuals and artists began to explore new ways of looking at history and contemporary society. During this time, public exhibitions and new mass-produced sources of art publication and art criticism brought the art world into nearly every household. Some of the artists of this period, such as Eugene Delacroix, J. Ingres and Honore Daumier, are still well known today. Others, such as Auguste Jeanron, Dominique Papety and Prosper Marilhat, are far more important than their current obscurity suggests. Following general introductions on the historical context and the artistic background are chapters considering the history painting, landscape painting, portraiture, caricature, book illustration and the advent of realism.
