2 hours
Brattleboro Museum & Art Center
Starting at USD 0
Thu, 23 Oct, 2025 at 05:30 pm to 07:30 pm (GMT-04:00)
Brattleboro Museum & Art Center
10 Vernon Street, Brattleboro, United States
BMAC Reads is supported by a gift in memory of Lorraine K. Wiesen, a lover of books and art.
Presented in partnership with the Brattleboro Literary Festival, BMAC Reads brings book and art lovers together for book club-style discussions about books about art.
A New York Times Book Review Editorsβ Choice, Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of 2024, and Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2024, Sebastian Smeeβs Paris in Ruins: Love, War, and the Birth of Impressionism is a gripping account of the βTerrible Yearβ in Paris and its monumental impact on the rise of Impressionism.
From the summer of 1870 to the spring of 1871 (famously dubbed the βTerrible Yearβ by Victor Hugo), Paris and its people were besieged, starved, and forced into surrender by Germansβthen imperiled again as radical republicans established a breakaway commune, ultimately crushed by the French army after bloody street battles and the burning of central Paris. As Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Sebastian Smee shows, it was against the backdrop of these tumultuous times that the Impressionist movement was bornβin response to violence, civil war, and political intrigue.
Moderated by voracious reader and Brattleboro Literary Festival board member Elizabeth Catlin, this event promises a mix of insightful conversation and fascinating perspectivesβplus refreshments and an opportunity to explore the museumβs current exhibits. Space is limited, so register now, and donβt miss out on this unique blend of culture, conversation, and creativity.
Smee will read from and discuss Paris in Ruins at BMAC on Saturday, October 18, at 3 p.m., as part of the Brattleboro Literary Festival.
Photos and videos may be taken during this event for use in BMAC promotional materials.
For accessibility questions and requests, email b2ZmaWNlIHwgYnJhdHRsZWJvcm9tdXNldW0gISBvcmc= or call 802-257-0124 x101.
Also check out other Arts events in Brattleboro, Festivals in Brattleboro, Literary Art events in Brattleboro.
Tickets for BMAC Reads: Paris in Ruins can be booked here.
Ticket type | Ticket price |
---|---|
BMAC Member | Free |
Non-member | 10 USD |
Custom Donation to BMAC | Free |