When Baron Haussmann transformed Paris during Napoleon III’s Second Empire, Parisian social classes found themselves in an environment suited to outdoor and sidewalk leisure yet anxious about the broad physical changes to their city. Artists as diverse as Edward Manet and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec painted scenes of high-brow and low-brow subjects as classes mingled in cabarets, horse races, and cafes. At the onset of the industrial revolution, Parisians boarded trains, rented row boats, enjoyed gas and electric light, drank absinthe, and lingered at café tables beside paved streets. Peasants streamed into the city to find work. Prostitution flourished. How did artists cope with these changing dynamics? Join us as we explore these urban realities together and the art that resulted.

Format: Participants will be asked to give short presentations and lead discussions weekly.

Resources/Expenses: The coordinators may suggest reading material and online resources. Access to a computer and the internet is essential. No expenses are anticipated.