This volume investigates the evolution and stylistic shifts of French painting from the dawn of the nineteenth century through the early twentieth century. Authored by Michael Francis Wilson in association with the National Gallery, the text provides a structured overview of the artistic movements that defined this period. It utilizes the gallery's own collection as a primary evidentiary base to trace the transition from Neoclassicism and Romanticism to the radical innovations of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism.

The subject matter points to a scholarly and accessible resource designed for students and enthusiasts of art history. The framing suggests a reliable, curated introduction to the National Gallery's significant holdings of French masterworks.