Impressionism: 13 Artists Children Should Know

Gr 4–7—Thirteen mostly French impressionists are covered in this volume, with each spread featuring brief biographical facts, a portrait or photo of the artist, and a time line that places the artist's lifespan and the period in historical context. Most of the painters herein, including women, are the well-known progenitors and masters of the movement. Heine acknowledges that one—John Singer Sargent—isn't an impressionist at all, which raises the question of why superb post-impressionists, such as Paul Cézanne and Vincent van Gogh, were omitted. The unique characteristics and techniques of this movement are clearly explained, and excellently reproduced examples of the featured artists' works highlight the text. Details about museums where the paintings hang and informative, interesting, sometimes quirky captions are featured. Several rather uninspired and irrelevant "Quiz Questions" are interspersed throughout; readers are unlikely to spend much time hazarding guesses, but answers are listed in the back matter. Additionally, the book offers scattered suggestions for art projects, inspired by the masters, and hints for further reading or exploration. A few typos stand out.