We enjoyed a private tour of the National Gallery of Art West Building and learned about 19th Century French paintings. As the century began, the academic style favored by the official Salon in France still dictated the success of artists and public taste. But soon that began to change. Realists turned convention on its head to give heroic character to everyday subjects. The tour was preceded by tea and snacks at the Cascade Cafe to meet and socialize with other ICDC members.