Leonard, Anne ed.: Shadow Visionaries. French Artists Against the Current, 1840-70. Exhibition: Williamstown, Clark Art Institute, 2026. 156 pages, with 137 colour illustrations. Hardback. 27 x 20cms. A complication of the perceived dominance of Realism in mid-19th century France through a study of the period's enigmatic prints and photographs. Three essays introduce and contextualise the 'shadow visionaries', artists working in France, focused on portrayals of dreamscapes and allegories; considering the particular potential of printmaking to convey the Gothic mood and its fantastical imagery.
A complication of the perceived dominance of Realism in mid-19th century France through a study of the period's enigmatic prints and photographs. Three essays introduce and contextualise the 'shadow visionaries', artists working in France, focused on portrayals of dreamscapes and allegories; considering the particular potential of printmaking to convey the Gothic mood and its fantastical imagery. Text in English