How did modern painting begin in 19th-century France?

Modern painting in 19th-century France emerged from a growing rebellion against the rigid constraints of the official Salon and academic tradition. This shift was characterized by a move toward contemporary subject matter and an increasingly individualistic approach to technique.123

Key developments included:

• The Salon des Refusés (1863): After the Salon jury rejected a record number of works, Napoleon III authorized a special exhibition for the excluded artists. This event brought together figures like Édouard Manet, Camille Pissarro, and Paul Cézanne, helping them recognize their shared goals of subverting established norms.3
• Impressionism: By the late 1860s, artists such as Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir began developing a style defined by separate, undisguised brushstrokes and a focus on light and color. Their 1874 independent exhibition formally launched the movement.43
• Redefining Technique: Modern painting moved away from traditional illusionism. Artists began treating the canvas as a surface for paint rather than a window into a scene, a shift that prioritized the artist's personal handling of materials.43

This transition was supported by critical voices like Charles Baudelaire, who championed the depiction of modern life, setting the stage for the avant-garde movements that followed.13