In 1878, the author Marius Roux, a noted friend of Emile Zola and Paul Cezanne, published "La proie et l'ombre", which offers an insight into the thoughts and lives of the Impressionists. This book discusses the effects of a burgeoning capitalist economy on the artistic practices of the period.
In 1878, the author Marius Roux, a noted friend of Emile Zola and Paul Czanne, published La proie et lombre, a littleknown roman clef featuring a thinly disguised Czanne as the main character, Germain Rambert. The text prominently features several conversations drawn from famous Impressionist discussions on the nature of art. La proie et lombre offers a unique insight into the thoughts and lives of the Impressionists. Czanne scholar Paul Smith has resurrected this all-but-forgotten novel, recognizing its value in expanding our understanding of the Impressionists world in general and Czannes in particular. This translation, titled The Substance and the Shadow, also brings to the foreground the effects of a burgeoning capitalist economy on the artistic practices of the period. With the recent advent of the salons, art in France was no longer reserved for the privileged few, and artists increasingly found themselves attempting to appeal to the merchant classes.
