In 1870, Paris was surrounded by German troops, cut off from the world, and a bitter, ugly place of chaos. It's known as 'The Terrible Year', and the 'Siege of Paris'. Out of this arose the Impressionists, whose paintings shone with light and beauty. 

Guest: Sebastian Smee, art critic at The Washington Post and author of ‘Paris in Ruins: Love, war and the birth of Impressionism’ (Text Publishing) 

This story originally aired on 11 September 2024.