Shadow Visionaries: French Artists Against the Current, 1840-70
Published on January 21, 2026
The mid-1800s in France was a tumultuous era that witnessed dramatic political, social, and cultural change. The impact of those transformations on the art of the period has often been measured by the painting and sculpture shown at government-sponsored Salons, Universal Expositions, and other prominent exhibition venues, which tended to uphold official narratives of progress.
Yet a focus on more private media, such as printmaking and photography, tells a different story. In fact, many artists felt at odds with their era’s celebration of material advancement and modernization.
Rejecting the prevailing current, such figures—described as “Shadow Visionaries” for this exhibition—chose dark subject matter oriented toward the irrational, spiritual, and fantastical. They used the distinctive characteristics of black-and-white media to convey intense emotions, while producing works of unsparing directness and rare beauty. Although some of the Shadow Visionaries evoked nostalgia, others dreamed boldly toward an alternate future, anticipating later art movements such as Symbolism and Surrealism.
Running from December 20, 2025 – March 8, 2026, the exhibition will be on display at The Clark Art Institute, 225 South St., Williamstown, MA 01267.
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