Meta-Impressionism / Other Exhibitions

The Durand-Ruel Gallery

Paul Durand-Ruel (1831-1922)

The promoter of the ‘Impressionists’

 

Introduction:
Paul Durand-Ruel (1831-1922) was the most important art-dealer for the Impressionists. Probably without his efforts the works of the Impressionists wouldn’t have been known as they are today. For the Impressionists Durand-Ruel was crucial for financial support and for becoming known in France and on the international art-market. It’s interesting to know whose works he did sell and whose works he didn’t and why. It’s a pity that in most sources there is not much information about Durand-Ruel his purchases of works of lesser known partakers of the ‘impressionist’ expositions.

On this page first you will find more general information on the Paul Durand-Ruel galleries and the several branches. Then you will find an overview of the connections between the ‘impressionists’ and Durand-Ruel and his purchases. Then you will find an overal view of exhibitions organised by Durand-Ruel.

In 1865 Paul took over the gallery of his departed father, in which he had been active since 1851.
In 1871 Paul lost his wife, whom he had married in 1862 (aR3=iR198)
In 1911 Paul Durand-Ruel left his business and left it to his sons (R3,p659)
1922/02/05 he died (aR3=iR198).
At the bottom of this page you will find some info on the commissions he gave and on his personal collection.
In 1974 the last gallery of Durand-Ruel closed it’s doors.
The decendants of Paul Durand-Ruel made some contributions to important catalogues and books.
On the bottom of this page you will find some information.

See link for his purchases.
See link for his 1873 inventory ‘Recueil d’estampes’.
See links for his expositions (overview), expos London 1870-75; London 1882-84; Paris 1883 solo expos; New York 1886; Paris 1888; London 1905.
See link for an overview of auction sales at the Durand-Ruel galleries.
See link for his correspondence.
Note: This page needs further development. Additional info will be added.

 

The Paris branche:
At first the Durand-Ruel Gallery concentrated on works of the Barbizon painters and other landscapists / pre-impressionists.
Since 1851 Paul Durand-Ruel worked in the gallery of his father (R3,p659).
1865/06/15 Paul took over the gallery at the 1, Rue de la Paix of his departed father (R3; R5,p35) and continued supporting the Barbizon school (R2,p379). This gallery was used in the years 1858-1872 and 1880-1887 (aR1).
In 1869 he opened a new gallery at 11, Rue le Peletier, Paris (R3).
A year later he opened a gallery at 16, Rue Laffitte. This gallery was used in the years 1870-1879 and 1891-1924 (aR1)
In 1883 he opened a new gallery at 9, Boulevard de la Madeleine, which he inaugurated with solo exhibitions with works of Boudin, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir and Sisley.
In total there were almost 200 exhibitions organised in Paris (aR1).

The London branche:
Due to the French-Prussian war Durand-Ruel had fled to London. Here he openend 1870/12/10 his ‘German gallery’ in London at 168, New Bond Street and  held from 1870-75 9 exhibitions of the Society of French Artists* (=SFA).
1875/12 Durand-Ruel sold his gallery in London to to Deschamps (R5,p92).
He almost didn’t sell works of the ‘impressionists’ in England (R5,p77).
See the seperate page for more information.

 

The Brussels branche:
April 1871 Durand-Ruel opened a Gallery in Brussels, 4, rue du Persil (iR19;R5,p69+214).
This gallery closed in 1875 (aR1).
I haven’t found additional info yet.

 

The Vienna branche:
1873/06/05 Durand-Ruel also had a gallery in Vienna, 8, Elisabethstrasse (iR19).
Noteworthy is that Durand-Ruel contributed to the Welt Austellung (Universal Exhibition; Exposition Universelle) in Vienna in 1873. He had sent in two works of Sisley and mabye a work of Monet (R166,p36;R22IV,p1016+no213). Several French painters exhibited, including the Barbizon painters Chintreuil, Corot, Daubigny, Diaz, Jules Dupré (R231/1878,p113). It is possible that some of these works came from the Durand-Ruel stock (compare the Recueil d’Estampes of 1873).
I have no additional information yet, but probably this branche was closed later on in the 1870s.

The New York branche:
In 1888 Durand-Ruel opened a new gallery in New York that was led by his 3 sons (R3,p659;R166,p46).
It started with 70 paintings, including about 12 of Sisley*.
Several solo and small group exhibitions were held, namely with works of Monet, Pissarro, Renoir and Sisley.
Before opening this branche Paul Durand-Ruel had probably researched the market.
In 1883/09 there was a loan exhibition in Boston, including 80 works (R166,p52/note55), see expositions.
In 1886 there was a loan exhibition in New York called “Works in Oil and Pastel by the Impressionists of Paris“. From the 10th of April 1886 there was an exhibition at the American Art Galleries (=AAG) and from the 25th of May till June at the National Academy of Design (=NAD). About 300 art-works were shown, including 41+8=49 of Monet, 41 (or 42) of Pissarro, 35 of Renoir, 22 (or 23) of Boudin and 20 (or 23) of Degas.
1887/05/05+06 there was a sale of part of the Durand-Ruel collection at WP Moore in New York with 127 works of many artists, including Boudin (14), Degas (2), Desboutin (5), Forain (1), Lépine (3), Monet (6), Pissarro (6), Renoir (5) and Sisley (6x). (link to PDF at archive.org = aR8=iR19;R166,p46+52,note84).
1887/05/25 – 06/30: exhibition in New York with works of Boudin, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Sisley, Manet, Puvis de Chavannes, Stevens and 1 work of De Nittis (R166,p57)
There were 130 exhibitions organised at this gallery (till 1922) (aR1).
This gallery closed in 1950 (aR1).
Note*: 7 of them were sold in 1888: to Mr. Andrews The Seine at Saint-Mammès; Waterside village (=CR422=CCPP480); Saint-Mammès, morning; to Mr Lambert Saint-Mammès; Les Sablons; At the edge of the wood. (R166,p46+52,note85)

 

The ‘impressionists’ and Durand-Ruel:
At the end of 1870 Durand-Ruel did meet Monet and Pissarro in London. In 1872 he started to buy works of them and also of Degas, Renoir and Sisley and also of Manet. (see early purchases) Some of there works were included in the recueil d’estampes published in 1873. He did show several of these works at his gallery in London from 1870-75.
We see that Monet, Pissarro and Sisley stopped submitting to the Salon, where they were more than once accepted. Did they have so much faith in the purchases and exhibitions of Durand-Ruel, that they thought they didn’t need the Salon anymore to become known and to have sufficiant sales?
Around 1874, due to an economic crises, Durand-Ruel had to diminish and even stop his purchases of the Impressionists, who were left on their own. Durand-Ruel even had to sell his obtained paintings (R3;R2,p146) December 1875 he had to close his gallery in London (R5,p92). Maybe this was an important boost for the ‘impressionists’ to organise their own expositions, starting in 1874.
Durand-Ruel would lend some works to their ‘impressionist’ expositions in 1874 +1876 +1879 +1886.
In 1876 Durand-Ruel lent 3 rooms of his gallery at the Rue le Peletier in Paris for the 2nd ‘Impressionist’ Exposition.
In 1882 he was co-organiser of the 7th ‘impressionist’ exposition and did lent most of the works.

In 1880 Durand-Ruel received credit of Jules Feder, director of the Union générale banc and he started to purchase works of the Impressionists again, this time on a more regular bases (see later purchases).
He made gentleman’s agreement with Monet, Pissarro, Renoir and Sisley, which implied that he had the right on the complete production of paintings in exchange of advance payments that garanties the livelihood of  the artists (R2,p377;R3,p659).
In 1881 Durand-Ruel bought the entire content of Boudin his studio and became his main art-dealer (R161,p70;R3;R87). In the same year he started to support Cassatt (R44,p140).
Extended correspondence would follow.

Around the same time he started to show impressionist works in Paris and at regional and international exhibitions, including exhibitions that were called “impressionist“, namely in London.
1882/01/19 the bankruptcy of the Union Générale meant for Durand-Ruel new financial problems (R2,p377; R3). He did sell paintings of the Barbizon painters for low prices (aR1). Still he continued buying works from the ‘impressionists’.
In 1883 he held several solo-exhibitions of the Impressionists.
In 1884 Durand-Ruel had to liquidate part of his stock because of worsening financial situation (R2,p422). He also sold works to Georges Petit with whom he had a hard rivalry on the art market (R3).
Already in the Fall of 1885 Durand-Ruel had plans for a large group exhibition (R2,p440). Early 1886 he invited to organise a large exhibition in New York called ‘the impressionists of Paris’.
This helped him find a new market, which was necassary because he was practically bankrupt.

1888/05/25 -06/25 Durand-Ruel held a large Exposition in Paris; with Boudin; Caillebotte; Lépine, Morisot; Pissarro, Renoir, Sisley and related painters like Brown and Whistler. (Note: Monet didn’t partake.) See seperate page.
In 1888 Hermann Kapferer, 27 avenue de l’Opéra, placed 30 paintings in consignment with Durand-Ruel in Paris: 2 of Degas, 2 of Monet, 6 of Pissarro, 4 of Renoir and 7 of Sisley. Of these Durand-Ruel bought 5 Sisleys in 1889. (R166,p46+53,note88)
In 1891 Durand-Ruel bought back impressionist paintings he had deposited as security at his creditors; this included 110 Sisleys. (R166,p47).

In 1905 there was a large loan exhibition at the Grafton Galleries in London, which included 300 art-works of the ‘impressionists’.

Between 1891 and 1922 Paul Durand-Ruel purchased nearly 12.000 paintings, including around 1.500 by Renoir, over 1.000 by Monet, 800 by Pissarro, 400 by Degas, 400 by Sisley, 400 by Boudin, 400 by Mary Cassatt and also 200 by Manet (aR1;aR3=iR198).

Sources: R1,p310;R2, p146;R3,p659;R5,p92;

 

Durand-Ruel and other artists:
Durand-Ruel also sold works of Para-impressionists like John-Lewis Brown, Fantin-Latour, Feyen-Perrin, Manet and Puvis de Chavannes (R410,p102). See purchases.
Note: additional info will follow.

 

A commission for Renoir:
In 1882 Paul Durand-Ruel commissioned Renoir to portray his 3 sons and 2 daughters. Renoir made 4 paintings (1F527-530).
Earlier in 1876 Renoir had already made a portrait of Jeanne.
Later in 1910, Renoir also portrayed Paul Durand-Ruel himself.
Desboutin had done so earlier in 1882 in an etch.

 

A commission for Monet:
May 1882 Durand-Ruel commissioned Monet to make 36 paintings for 6 doors of his drawing room at 35, Rue de Rome in Paris. The paintings all depicted flower and fruit still lifes. In 1885 Monet probably had finished 5 doors. (R22II,p344 +no.919-954)

 

The personal collection of Paul Durand-Ruel:
Apart from the stock of his galleries Paul Durand-Ruel had a personal collection.
See: Lecomte, Georges (1867-1958): L’art impressionniste : d’après la collection privée de M. Durand-Ruel. Paris, 1892 (iR19,ia800201; iR19; iR40) This work included 36 etchings: 1 of Boudin, 2 of Cassatt, 4 of Degas, 1 of Forain, 1 of Lépine, 7 of Monet, 4 of Pissarro, 7 of Renoir, 2 of Sisley and also 1 of John-Lewis Brown, 4 of Manet, 1 of Puvis de Chavannes, 1 of Rodin (page 267-270).
The personal collection of Paul Durand-Ruel also consisted of the following works:
Of Cassatt: R44,p105;
Of Degas: L502=R30,no687; L527=R26,no741;
Of Monet: CR1108; CR1160; CR1203; CR1266; (R22)
Note: in the future I will render more info and pictures.

 

Publications of his decendants:
The decendants of Paul Durand-Ruel made some contributions to important catalogues and books. Here below you will find some of them.

Caroline Durand-Ruel Godfroy: Paul Durand-Ruel and Alfred Sisley, 1872-1895
In: MaryAnne Stevens: Alfred Sisley (p35-54). London, 1992.  (=R166)

Claire Durand-Ruel Snollaerts:
Joachim Pissarro & Claire Durand-Ruel Snollaerts: Critical Catalogue of Paintings of Pissarro. Wildenstein Institute, Paris, 2005. (R116)
Claire Durand-Ruel Snollaerts: A painter and his art-dealer: Camille Pissarro (1830-1903). In: Volume I, page 13-60.
Terence Maloon & Claire Durand-Ruel Snollaerts: Pissarro and his critics.
In: Terence Maloon: Camille Pissarro (p.225-247). Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2005. (R46)

Paul-Louis & Flavie Durand-Ruel:
Paul Durand-Ruel; memoirs of the first impressionist art dealer (1831-1922). Paris, 2014 (iR24 ;iR198)

 

Sources:
My main sources are the catalogues raisonnée of Monet (R22IV,p1016+), of Pissarro (R116); catalogues of Renoir (R31), Sisley (R166). Other main sources are Moffett (R2), Walther (R3), Denvir (R5). For other general references (=R) see. Archive.org (iR19); RKD (iR24); BNF (iR26); gallica (iR40). For other references to internet sites (=iR) see.
See links for practical hints and abbreviations and for the subscription of the paintings.

For further reading:
Patry, Sylvie (ed.): Inventing impressionism; Paul Durand-Ruel and the modern art market. National Gallery, London, 2015 (iR19; iR24).
Gentner, Florence: Les impressionnistes: dans l’intimité de Paul Durand-Ruel. Paris, 2014 (iR19)
Durand-Ruel, Paul-Louis & Durand-Ruel, Flavie: Paul Durand-Ruel; memoirs of the first impressionist art dealer (1831-1922). Paris, 2014 (iR24)
Assouline, Pierre: Discovering Impressionism: the life and times of Paul Durand-Ruel. New York, 2004 (iR19)
Lecomte, Georges (1867-1958): L’art impressionniste : d’après la collection privée de M. Durand-Ruel. Paris, 1892 (iR19,ia800201)

 

1. gallica.bnf.fr//100 ans Durand-Ruel (article 2022/02/25 on the departure of Paul Durand-Ruel 100 years ago; =iR40)
   Note: it includes links to several catalogues.
2. dn760105.eu.archive.org (PDF of Lecomte, Georges (1867-1958): L’art impressionniste: d’après la collection privée de M. Durand-Ruel. Paris, 1892; =iR19; iR19)
   gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k1527383d (PDF of Lecomte, Georges (1867-1958): L’art impressionniste: d’après la collection privée de M. Durand-Ruel. Paris, 1892; =iR40)
3. www.durand-ruel.fr/en (website on Paul Durand-Ruel; =iR198)
   The website has 23.000 photos, but is not open to public.
   See link for a biography (iR198)
   The site renders names of artists collected by Durand-Ruel (without additional information).
4. youtube.com//KSQ_VB4ti8k (short film on the book / film ‘Paul Durand-Ruel, le marchant des impressionnistes’, 2015; 1:33min.; =iR429)
5. youtube.com//BdVDNBnqmak (introduction to the (Exhibition on screen) film ‘The Impressionists: And the Man who Made Them’, 2015; 2:27min.; =iR429)
6. youtube.com//99UY1UYwBOk (Paul Durand-Ruel: the man who invented Impressionism; National Gallery of Art in London (=M61); 5:10min.=iR429)
7. museeduluxembourg//durand-ruel (expo 2014/10/09 – 2015/02/08 called ‘Paul Durand-Ruel, the gamble of the Impressionists’ / ‘Le parri de l’Impressionnisme’, Manet, Monet, Renoir…)
   Later also in London and Philadelphia.
   youtube.com//QF4Q437x33A (introduction film on this expo by Sylvie Patry; 3:06; =iR429)
8. ia600101.us.archive.org (PDF catalogue sale Durand-Ruel collection 1887/05/05+06 at Moore’s art galleries)
9. x

 

Recommanded citation: “Meta-Impressionism / other exhibitions: The Durand-Ruel gallery; the promoter of the ‘impressionists’. Last modified 2026/06/08.  https://www.impressionism.nl/durand-ruel-gallery/”

 

Note: additional info will be added.