Why is it famous ?

Vincent van Gogh used to give away his paintings in exchange for bed and board, while Rosa Bonheur renovated her castle and embarked on a successful international tour ; which of the two artists is the most highly rated today ? Why did the Statue of Liberty enlighten the New World at a time when Gauguin's exotic poetry or young Rodin's uncompromising realism were scorned ? What was the true scope of the scandal triggered by Manet's Déjeuner sur l'herbe and Olympia ? Is anyone still shocked, nowadays, by Courbet's The Origin of the World ?

Among the works exhibited in museums for all to admire, hung on picture rails, displayed on posters, postcards, mugs, and magnets, many from the second half of the nineteenth century were acclaimed from the onset, whereas others were vehemently rejected by critics and the public alike. What happened ? How did these paintings and sculptures become world-famous ? What has favored their rise to fame despite initial drawbacks ?

Including fun facts and a quiz, this book retraces the incredible journey of sixty of the most famous works from this major period in art history, from their early days in the artistic arena to their present-day glory.