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Shocking Paris by Stanley Meisler

Shocking Paris

Soutine, Chagall and the Outsiders of Montparnasse

by Stanley Meisler

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  • Readers' Rating (19):
  • Published:
  • Apr 2015, 256 pages
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There are currently 19 reader reviews for Shocking Paris
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Lois J. (Wilmington, DE)

The School of Paris
I have an advantage in reading this book as I am familiar with the places in Paris that are part of this exposition of a very special time in Art History. I have seen the art from this era in the Orangerie in Paris, and in the Barnes Museum in Philadelphia, and have loved it without knowing much about the artists. What this book did for me was to add depth and a dimension to my understanding of a turbulent time in both art and history. I haven't found this anywhere else. It made a difference in how I view Mogliani (died tragically young), Soutine (an amazing painter with a chaotic personal life), and Chagall (more
Mary O. (Boston, MA)

Life seen through art
A wonderful and informative history that reads like a novel.
This book spotlights Jewish artists in the "School of Paris" considered outsiders whose art portrayed their struggle to survive in a life of fear and despair during WWII German occupation. Antisemitism is clearly reflected through their art. A great read for art history and WWII buffs!
Patricia G. (Dyer, IN)

Inroduction to Chaim Soutine
Stanley Meisler brings to life a period of time between the world wars which was unique in the world of painting: the intriguing work of Jewish artists who left their eastern European homes to settle in Paris's Montparnasse. The amorphous group is called The School of Paris; some of the most important today are Chaim Soutine, Marc Chagall, and Modigliani. Meisler focuses most on Soutine in part because he is a distant relative whose story in some ways mirrors his own family's history of immigration because of religious persecution. But in telling Soutine's story, he opens up a window into the art world with itsmore
Mary D. (Claremont, CA)

Shocking Paris by Stanley Meisler
For a " history" book, this was surprisingly easy to read, entertaining and contained a vast amount of biographical information! As a professional musician and a Jew, I am well aware of the stories of musicians, conductors and composers who fled from the Nazi occupations, but the only artist of whom I was aware is Marc Chagall. The whole period prior to WWII in Paris was extraordinary! I enjoyed learning about Soutine, although he certainly has his flaws. Admittedly, while interesting, he was not someone that I would have enjoyed knowing. Chapters on Chagall, Pascin, Faure and others were very interesting, asmore
Sandy K. (Iowa City, IA)

Shocking Paris: Soutine, Chagall and the Outsiders of Montparnasse
A revelation to the reviewer is that the artists whose work and lives are so thoroughly examined in this book were part of the "School of Paris". I knew some of the work of Soutine, Chagall, Modigliani, and others, but the author has helped me understand their artistic and personal cohesiveness and their common challenges as often impoverished Jewish emigrants. Meisler makes us aware of chauvinistic attitudes toward artists considered outsiders and dangers they faced as foreign nationals and Jews during the World War II German occupation, telling stories of local and international efforts to save them.

I wouldmore
Lydia M. (Lakeview, OR)

An artist's life..
I devoted years to obtain my degree in Art History and many more hours in independent study, opening this book was like finding buried treasure.
Just to have the name Modigliano roll off your tongue evokes a sense of greatness. This book gave me the man.
You will feel the despair and fear that so many artists, mostly Jewish creative forces had to deal with. The struggle to simply survive...find food, shelter and enough money for the supplies needed to continue their passion.
This book gives a wonderful lesson in history as the Third Reich moved across Europe with the oppressed scattering in front to find a refuge.more
Helen S. (Sun City, AZ)

Soutine: A Secret and Solitary Artist
One of the things which I enjoyed most about Shocking Paris was author Stanley Meisler's rich details of the personal and artistic lives of a number of immigrant Jewish painters in Paris between World Wars I and II. I was especially interested in his depiction of Chaim Soutine. Although I was not previously familiar with Soutine or his paintings, the author's vivid descriptions of his art and his appearance and behavior made me want to learn more about this artist and to see his paintings.
I would recommend this book to all readers interested in the early years of these immigrant artists as they sought tomore
Joyce W. (Rochester, MN)

Engaging as well as educational
This is a very enjoyable and informative read. It combines the history of the period and the personal lives of the artists. A lot has been written about 1918 to 1945, but each group of people has their own perspective of how they were affected by the events in history. This book covers artists we are familiar with as well as little known artists. If you do not want to read a biography of each individual artist, this is an excellent book to read about a group of artists. It shows how their careers were shaped by the times they lived through.
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