An art historian will talk about the development of impressionism in French art at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 2 in the Kemper Recital Hall, Spratt Hall room 101 on the campus of Missouri Western State University. The Alliance Français of St. Joseph is sponsoring the program in partnership with the Missouri Western Department of Art and the MWSU Foundation. The presentation by Dr. Beth S. Gersh-Nesic, founder of the New York Arts Exchange, will be in English, followed by a discussion in French and English. The event is free and open to the public.
Impressionism began in France during the late 19th century. It concentrates on the immediate visual impression of a scene, and artists generally use primary colors and small strokes to replicate reflected light.
“[Impressionism] started out as a movement that was absolutely reviled,” Dr. Gersh-Nesic said. “It was perceived as ugly and now it is loved. It’s really ironic.”
Dr. Gersh-Nesic first developed an interest in art when she was a toddler, when her father played the cello in an orchestra that performed in the Toledo Museum of Art. From then on, she and her family began going to museums regularly, and it was then that she fell in love with art. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Binghamton University and her doctorate from City University of New York.
Dr. Gersh-Nesic wrote a book called “The Demoiselles Revisited” and has translated two books from French to English. She teaches at Purchase College and Mercy College, both located in New York state.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.