Morning, Interior by Maximilien Luce

When we think of Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism, we often picture light, visually pleasing paintings. But Maximilien Luce, a Neo-Impressionist closely associated with Georges Seurat and Paul Signac, used his brush not only to create beautiful art, but also to deliver social commentary. A political radical, Luce was a committed socialist who embraced anarchist philosophy, and many of his illustrations appeared in the socialist periodicals of Paris. His activism brought him under suspicion in the tense aftermath of President Marie François Sadi Carnot’s assassination, and he was arrested during the infamous "Procès des Trente" ("Trial of the Thirty"). Though acquitted, he spent 42 days in prison before being released.