The French art scene was in a process of change, as radical artists such as Courbet and Manet tried to break away from accepted Academic tradition and the Impressionists were in their formative years.
Den franske kunstscene var i opbrud i disse år, hvor radikale kunstnere som Courbet og Manet søgte at bryde ud fra den accepterede Akademi-tradition, og impressionisterne var ved at finde deres ståsted.