France experienced radical social change during the 19th century. The French Revolution of 1789 to 1799 triggered several subsequent revolutions (1830, 1848 and 1870-71) but by the end of the century La Belle Époque (1890-1914) ushered in a time of optimism and peace.

French wine also experienced a crisis: A phylloxera epidemic from the 1860s to mid-1870s that killed more than 40 percent of French grape vines. But by the end of the century, French wines had recovered and, as before, were considered the world's top wines. Paralleling the socio-political evolution from monarchy to democracy, French artists evolved through several key movements: Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Orientalism, Realism, Impressionism and Post-Impressionism.

During this two-hour class, learn more about the evolution of French art in the 19th century while tasting contemporary French wines that correspond to the artists' styles and techniques.