Part of the Tate Introductions series, this book offers a concise and engaging account of some of the best-known and best-loved Impressionists’ lives, works and the ongoing debates concerning their significance.

In the 1870s France was devastated by the Franco- Prussian war, and violent insurrection in Paris drove numerous Impressionist artists to seek refuge in England. Their experiences in London and the friendships they developed not only influenced their own work, but also contributed to the British art scene.

Carol Jacobi is Curator of British Art 1850-1915 at Tate.