Fabulous Historical Fiction Recommendations About the French Impressionists
Below is a list of our top historical fiction recommendations about the revolutionary French impressionists and post-impressionists.
Lie on your bed or on your favorite couch & go back in time to 19th century Paris, the buzzing art center of the world. Many of these novels will transport you to the poorer neighborhoods of Paris such as Montmartre and Montparnasse. It was in these districts where many artists, poets, musicians, dancers, writers and composers from all over France and around the world lived, worked and created. These threadbare dressed artists hung out in smoke-filled cafes and bars, discussing art and sharing revolutionary artistic ideas. They all shared the same dream! They all wanted to conquer the Paris art world and become famous artists.
In these novels, you will meet these young emerging artists who were still unknown. Many of them struggled financially, bartering their artworks for rent and food. Others, like Claude Monet, Amedeo Modgiliani, Vincent Van Gogh & Paul Cezanne suffered with huge self doubt for the greater part of their lives. Some of them even died penniless.
For the majority of these artists, fame came much later on and way after they died. It seems that the art world needed time to understand and appreciate the French impressionists & their beautiful artworks. Today their paintings are worth millions!
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Turn Paging Novels About Revolutionary Artists Who Broke All the Rules
Below is a comprehensive list of novels written about the French impressionism giants such as Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edouard Manet & Berthe Morisot. And wonderful page turners about the post-impressionists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Toulouse Lautrec, Suzanne Valadon and her son Maurice Utrillo.
All these artists shared ideas, experimented with new painting styles & started new art movements, such as fauvism, cubism and pointillism. They all rocked the traditional art world of Paris to smithereens!
Please share with me your favorite art historical fiction novel that does not appear on my list!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Our Top Historical Fiction Recommendations
A Wonderful Book Set in Paris by Stanley Meisler
A Fabulous Non-Fiction Book Set in Paris called: Shocking Paris by Stanely Meisler The Fascinating Story of the Jewish Painters in the Paris Post-Impressionism Era Shocking Paris: Soutine, Chagall and the Outsiders of Montparnasse by Stanley Meisler is a fabulous book set in Paris. It focuses on several Jewish artists…
Impressionism Paris: Walks in the Footsteps of Famous People
Impressionism Paris: 25 Paris Walks in the Footsteps of Chanel, Hemingway, Picasso, & More Forever Paris by Christina Henry de Tessan is a wonderful and unusual travel book, providing self-guided Paris walks in the footsteps of many famous characters who lived and loved Paris in the Impressionism & post-impressionism era….
A Novel about the Wife of Modigliani-Jeanne Hebuterne
Into the Darkness Laughing – A Great Read about the Wife of Modigliani-Jeanne Hebuterne The book called: Into the Darkness Laughing focuses on the story of the common-law wife of Modigliani, Jeanne Hebuterne. It is through Jeanne Hebuterne’s eyes, that we read the story of the tragic, Italian artist Amedeo…
Francoise Gilot’s Memoir About The Artist Pablo Picasso
Francoise Gilot’s Fantastic Memoir “Life With Picasso” Francoise Gilot’s memoir “Life With Picasso” is a novel of her decade-long relationship with the legendary artist, Pablo Picasso. During these years they also had two children together, Claude and Paloma. Gilot provides us with an intimate glimpse into the mind and character…
Sunflowers – A Beautiful Book About Vincent Van Gogh
A Must Read Book about Vincent Van Gogh Called Sunflowers by Sheramy Bundrick “Sunflowers” is loosely based historical fiction book about Vincent Van Gogh, the Dutch post-impressionism painter . The author, Sheramy Bundrick , who is also a professor in Art History, chooses to focus on the last two years…
A Novel About a Muse & Artist Victorine Meurent
Victorine Meurent – The Muse, Musician & Painter Victorine, a novel by Drema Drudge, tells the amazing story of Victorine Meurent, Edouard Manet’s favorite model. This first-person story captures a time and place from the unlikeliest of sources – the model for Manet’s “scandalous” painting, Olympia. What art historians omitted…
Historical Fiction Story – Dancing for Degas
A Wonderful Historical Fiction Story: Dancing for Degas by Kathryn Wagner “Dancing for Degas” is a wonderful historical fiction story set in Paris, during the glamorous Belle Epoque era. Behind the facade of glitz, wealth, culture and industrial growth, Paris has a sordid underbelly. It is in this era, that…
Madame Picasso – The Story of Eva Gouel
Eva Gouel – Picasso’s Early Lover Madame Picasso is a wonderful art historical fiction book about Picasso and his relationship with Eva Gouel. Not only does the story capture the relationship and love story between the unlikely two, the book also transports the reader into 20th century Paris during the…
The Heart-Wrenching Van Gogh Book: Lust For Life
An Amazing Van Gogh book that brings his most famous paintings to life Lust For Life by the author Irving Stone is a wonderful art historical fiction book about the fascinating and difficult life of the post-impressionism painter Vincent Willem van Gogh. The novel covers the devastatingly sad story of Vincent Van…
Wonderful Historical Fiction set in Roussillon Provence
Susan Vreeland’s Novel “Lisette’s List” Transports you to Roussillon Provence Roussillon Provence is the setting of Susan Vreeland’s magnificent art historical fiction novel “Lisette’s List”. The book transports you into Provencal countryside during the 1930s and the gloomy years of World War Two. The author is passionate about art and…
Mario Vargas Llosa Book Entitled The Way to Paradise
Mario Vargas Llosa Book – Art Historical Fiction based on the Painter Paul Gauguin Mario Vargas Llosa, one of the greatest Peruvian authors, writes a book about the post-impressionism painter, Paul Gauguin. What you many not know (I didn’t) was that Gauguin spent time in Peru in his childhood years….
The Flight Portfolio by Julie Orringer
The Flight Portfolio – An Incredible WW2 Story Julie Orringer writes a wonderful WW2 historical fiction book called “The Flight Portfolio”. “The Flight Portfolio” is about a real life, hardly-known hero called Varian Fry. Fry is a young American journalist who comes from a privileged American background. While working as…
La Luministe – The Passionate Life of Berthe Morisot
A Wonderful Novel “La Luministe” by Paula Butterfield La Luministe is a historical fiction book about the ground-breaking female painter and impressionist, Berthe Morisot. The author Paula Butterfield, describes in her novel what it was like to be a female artist during the emergence of the impressionism art movement. To…
The Bridal Chair by Gloria Goldreich
An Art Historical Fiction Book About Marc Chagall “The Bridal Chair” The author Gloria Goldreich tells the story of Moishe Shagal, better known as Marc Chagall and his family. Marc Chagall story is told through the eyes of the artist’s daughter, Ida, taking you through Chagall’s complicated life journey. Marc…
Historical Fiction Best Sellers about the Impressionists
Best Selling Historical Fiction Novels about Claude Monet & the Impressionists Are you a die-hard historical fiction bookworm? Do you love the revolutionary French Impressionists? If yes, then this page is for you! I have listed historical fiction best sellers written about the impressionists and post-impressionists. Lie on your bed,…
Vincent and Theo – Heiligman Biography
Vincent and Theo – A Wonderful Biography of the Van Gogh Brothers The author of Vincent and Theo, Deborah Heiligman, writes an engaging biography about the famous Van Gogh brothers. In her book, she details beautifully the brothers’ lives during the times they lived together and apart. Heiligman describes how…
Art Historical Fiction Novels about Suzanne Valadon
Two Art Historical Fiction Novels about the Post Impressionist Suzanne Valadon Below are recommendations of two art historical fiction novels that focus on the unconventional life of the painter Suzanne Valadon. Suzanne Valadon’s determination to succeed as an artist in her own right, as a woman and without any access…
Novel based on the iconic Pierre-Auguste Renoir painting
Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland Impressionism has always been my favorite style of art. However, I must admit that I have never really understood the obsession with the iconic Pierre-Auguste Renoir painting: Luncheon of the Boating Party. After reading this delightful book, I understood so much more…
The Best Non-Fiction Impressionism book by Sue Roe
A Wonderful Impressionism book called “The Private Lives of the Impressionists “ The Private Lives of the Impressionists is a wonderful impressionism book (non-fiction) about the 19th century French impressionists. The author, Sue Roe, provides you with a fascinating account of the lives of the Impressionists within the historical context…
A novel inspired by the Degas’ sculpture “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen”
The Famous Degas Sculpture & The Unsavory Story Behind It “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen” by Camille Laurens is a sad historical fiction novel about three non-fictional sisters in 19th century Paris. One of the sisters is chosen to be the muse for Edgar Degas’ sculpture “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen.” “Little Dancer Aged…
A Wonderful Historical Fiction book About Mary Cassatt
I Always Loved You by Robin Oliveira is a wonderful historical fiction book about the relationship between the French Impressionism artists Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas. The book immerses you into the world of the French impressionists during the Belle Epoque Paris of the 19th Century. Mary Cassatt, an American, female…
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