In the 1860s, a group of young painters in Paris were creating unusual art. Their work looked nothing like what people were used to. Instead of painting every tiny detail, they used quick, loose brushstrokes. Instead of dark, serious colors, they used bright blues, greens, and vibrant yellows. Art critics were furious. They called the paintings unfinished, ugly, and not worth looking at. One writer disagreed. Emile Zola, born April 2, 1840, was a childhood friend of painter Paul Cezanne. When critics attacked Cezanne and his fellow artists, Zola fought back with his pen. He wrote articles defending their work, calling it fresh, honest, and full of life. His support was controversial. Other writers told Zola he was ruining his reputation by praising art that respectable people mocked. Zola did not care. He believed these painters were showing the world something true. The way light actually looked, the way a moment actually felt. He called their work a revolution in seeing. Zola was right. The painters he defended -- Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Cezanne, and others -- became known as the Impressionists. Today their paintings are among the most beloved and valuable in the world. Museums compete to display them. The art that critics once called worthless now sells for hundreds of millions of dollars.