19th Century French Artists Evade Taxes

French Artists Invented the Bohemian Lifestyle to Dodge Taxes

On February 24, 1848, Henri Murger, a French writer, coined the term "bohemian" in his novel "Scenes de la vie de Bohème," set in Paris. Murger's work immortalized the struggling artist, but few know the financial motivations behind this lifestyle. Artist Eugène Delacroix, on January 1, 1824, began keeping a detailed diary, which would later reveal the fiscal strategies of his peers.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think the bohemian lifestyle originated from a romantic desire to break free from societal norms and pursue artistic expression. The standard story goes that 19th-century French artists, tired of the constraints of middle-class life, chose to live in poverty, dedicating themselves to their craft. This notion has been perpetuated by popular culture, with the image of the starving artist becoming a symbol of creative freedom. However, this narrative overlooks the more practical concerns that drove these artists to adopt such a lifestyle.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Theodore Zeldin, in his book "France 1848-1945," argues that many French artists in the mid-19th century were motivated by a desire to avoid paying taxes. Delacroix's diary, for instance, shows that he took great care to conceal his income from the authorities, often using cash transactions and keeping multiple bank accounts. On December 13, 1855, Delacroix wrote about his concerns over being audited, demonstrating the constant fear of being caught that many artists lived with. By declaring themselves as "artists" rather than "tradesmen," they could claim exemption from certain taxes, a loophole that allowed them to keep more of their earnings. According to historian Robert L. Herbert, in his book "Impressionism: Art, Leisure, and Parisian Society," this strategy was not unique to Delacroix, as many artists, including Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, also took advantage of this tax exemption. By 1860, the French government had begun to crack down on these tax evaders, but the bohemian lifestyle had already become an ingrained part of the artistic culture, with many artists continuing to live and work in a way that allowed them to maintain their financial independence. As historian T.J. Clark notes in his book "The Painting of Modern Life," this period saw a significant increase in the number of artists living in the Latin Quarter, where they could take advantage of cheap housing and a lax attitude towards taxation. By 1870, the bohemian lifestyle had become a defining feature of French artistic culture, with its emphasis on nonconformity and creative freedom masking a more practical concern with avoiding the taxman.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Georges Sadoul and Maurice Rheims deliberately downplayed the tax avoidance aspect of the bohemian lifestyle in their writings, focusing instead on the artistic and cultural achievements of the period. The French government also played a role in suppressing this story, as officials sought to promote a more romanticized view of the country's artistic heritage. One concrete reason this history was not told is that many of the relevant documents, including tax records and correspondence between artists, were destroyed or lost in the aftermath of World War II. As a result, the true motivations behind the bohemian lifestyle were obscured, and the myth of the starving artist was allowed to persist. Scholars and curators at institutions like the Musée d'Orsay and the Louvre also contributed to this omission, prioritizing the artistic innovations of the period over the more mundane concerns of the artists themselves.

The Ripple Effect The bohemian lifestyle invented by 19th-century French artists had a direct impact on the development of modern social welfare policies. As the French government began to recognize the plight of struggling artists, officials implemented programs like the Chambre des Artistes, which provided financial support and other benefits to artists in need. This initiative, in turn, influenced the creation of similar programs in other countries, such as the Federal Art Project in the United States. One specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the Artist Pension Trust, a global network of mutual aid societies that provide financial support to artists in exchange for a portion of their artwork.

The Line That Says It All By the early 20th century, the French government had effectively co-opted the bohemian lifestyle, using it to promote a sanitized image of artistic genius while quietly addressing the practical concerns of its artists through social welfare programs.

A Note on Sources This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to 19th-century French art and culture.