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James Tissot was a French artist who immigrated to England in the wake of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. He lived in England for a decade, and had a very successful career as a painter. His impeccable French technique, gentle humor, and depiction of the current social scene were instantly appealing to the English audience. However, English art critics often found his art to be "too French." This book explores just what the critics meant by "too French" as well as their differing perceptions of French and English art. The book also refutes the common wisdom that this criticism eventually destroyed the artist´s career in England. Tissot´s work was generally ignored in the early 20th century, but his reputation has been rehabilitated in the last forty years. The world has begun to have a better appreciation of his subtle psychological insight into the role of women in the 19th century, apparent in his art but generally ignored in the past. The book will be of interest to art and social historians, art critics and scholars, art educators, and anyone interested in the art, art criticism, and cultural values of the Victorian era.

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Karen M. Ely, M.L.A.: Studied at the University of Michigan and Stanford University. Freelance editor and writer. Artist in oil and acrylic. Currently manages the office of a Bay Area hepatologist.

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