Season 1 • Episode 3
LatestCezanne is forced to lead a double life with his mistress and secret child, and refuses to compromise his vision in the face of vitriol from both the critics and a close friend. Manet receives the Legion d'Honneur, but his health is failing fast. Monet embarks on a successful tour of Europe, but decides that what he really wants is to return to his beloved Alice - and the lilies that will fascinate him for the rest of his life.
The Impressionists is a three-part factual docudrama from the BBC, which reconstructs the origins of the Impressionist art movement.
Production
Lush recreations of 1870s Paris and Argenteuil
Acting
Richard Armitage brooding magnificently as young Monet
Costume
Beards and waistcoats for days
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Julian Glover and Richard Armitage both play Monet at different ages but never share scenes—Glover recorded his older Monet narration first, then Armitage matched his vocal rhythms.
The series aired alongside a major Orangerie museum renovation, sparking a 40% spike in Impressionist exhibition attendance across Europe.
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