The History of Modern Painting, Volume 3 (of 4) Revised edition continued by the author to the end of the XIX century — Context and Discussion

Realism as a National Phenomenon

The catalog subject "Painting -- History" suggests a broad survey, but the excerpts show Muther dividing realism by nation. In England, he highlights the Pre-Raphaelites' battle against "beautiful form" and "beautiful tone," naming Holman Hunt, Ford Madox Brown, and Millais. In Germany, he argues that after 1870, historical painting could no longer dominate, and he traces a shift from anecdotic pictures to modern life, with figures like Menzel and Leibl. The excerpts do not provide evidence of a unified theory of realism; instead, Muther treats each country's development separately, with little cross-comparison. This structure suggests that the book is more a collection of national surveys than a synthetic history.

The Biographical Turn in Böcklin's Portrait

Muther's treatment of Arnold Böcklin is the most detailed in the excerpts, yet it is almost entirely biographical. He recounts Böcklin's birth in Basle in 1827, his studies in Düsseldorf and Brussels, his time in Rome, and his later residences in Florence and Zürich. The only critical observation is that Böcklin's "harmonious blending of figures with landscape" differs from the historical landscape tradition of Claude Lorraine and Poussin. Muther does not analyze specific paintings; instead, he presents a chronology of travels and commissions. This approach aligns with the catalog subject "Painting -- History" only if history is understood as a sequence of artists' lives rather than a study of stylistic evolution.

Impressionism and the Japanese Influence

The excerpts include a chapter on the influence of Japanese art, which Muther links to the Paris International Exhibition of 1867 and the "Society of the Jinglar." He then introduces Impressionism as "Realism widened by the study of the milieu," naming Manet, Degas, Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, and Monet. However, the excerpts do not contain detailed analysis of Impressionist techniques or works. The catalog subject "Painting -- History" is again broad enough to encompass these topics, but the excerpts suggest that Muther's coverage is introductory rather than exhaustive. The connection between Japanese art and Impressionism is stated but not elaborated, leaving the reader to infer the nature of the influence.

Readers should approach this volume as a series of artist biographies and national sketches rather than a unified argument. Muther's strength lies in his accumulation of names and dates, but the excerpts offer little critical evaluation of individual works. Those seeking a deeper understanding of the movements mentioned—Pre-Raphaelitism, Impressionism, or the new idealism—may need to supplement this text with more focused studies. The book is best used as a reference for the major figures and events of late 19th-century painting, as seen through the lens of a German art historian writing at the turn of the century.

Reading Muther’s account of the Pre-Raphaelites, I remembered sitting in a cold library, turning pages of The Venetian School of Painting — Inside the Classic — that same hush of light on old canvases, the ache of color fading into memory. Both books feel like rooms I’ve entered alone, where time slows to pigment and patience.