The great artist Edgar Degas is in crisis after the death of his father. Saddled with debt and struggling to survive, he derives unexpected inspiration from an aspiring young ballerina named Marie. Degas helps Marie tap into the incredible talent she doesn't believe she has, especially when compared to her beautiful and confident ballerina sister, Pauline. As his model, Marie witnesses everything from genius to rage to frustration. When a highly anticipated art exhibition proves to be a disaster, Marie convinces Degas to persevere despite biting criticism from the Parisian art establishment. In the hours they spend together as artist and model, they become friends and confidantes, finding in each other what they most need to move forward and follow their dreams.
Acclaimed Spanish artist Francisco de Goya is fed up with life at the royal palace. His recent works bewilder the court and even Javier, Goya's son, questions his father's sanity when the artist ridicules arrogant King Ferdinand. Goya leaves the palace for a rustic villa to paint for himself. He is joined by a new housekeeper and her young daughter, Rosarita, who dreams of being an artist. The girl and Goya become friends and despite his eccentricities, Goya teaches talented Rosarita how to "see" as an artist. Rosarita witnesses Goya's genius when he transforms the dining room walls into his masterpiece, The Black Paintings, a mystical expression of humanity that sparks the birth of modern painting. In the end, Rosarita and Javier help Goya foil the Inquisition's attack on his revolutionary creation, giving Rosarita the courage to fulfill her own dreams.
Artist Mary Cassatt's tidy and peaceful independence in Paris is rattled when her brother's family arrives unexpectedly for a visit. With three unruly children around, Cassatt worries that her art will suffer as she prepares for an important exhibit at the prestigious Paris Salon. Instead, she finds herself inspired and her work flourishes as the children become her models. Her marriage-minded teenage niece, Katherine, who dreaded coming to Paris, decides to have some fun playing cupid. A series of forged notes brings together her "old maid" aunt and the great painter Edgar Degas. Though romance is not meant to be, a lifelong friendship begins between the two artists. Katherine eventually warms to Cassatt's modern ideas and learns to trust her heart. Likewise, the children soften Cassatt, who begins to build stronger ties with her family in America.
Monet spends a glorious summer painting in a revolutionary style aboard his odd-looking studio=boat and with his friend Renoir at La Grenouilliere, a popular riverside park. The bliss ends when his father cuts his allowance, creditors try to confiscate his belongings, and a pompous critic attacks his work. Without money for rent and his paintings seemingly worthless, Monet runs off to spare his family more pain. Luckily, Money has an ally in young Daniel, an aspiring artist. Daniel has his own demons including a hard-working mother who opposes his artistic ambitions. Abandoned by his father, Daniel refuses to let Monet do the same to his son. While Money shows Daniel a new way of seeing the world through his new Impressionist art, Daniel helps Money see the importance of family.
In 1641, the Dutch master is at the height of his success. Unchallenged by portraits of the rich and famous, Rembrandt indulges other pursuits like splurging at auctions and helping his adolescent neighbor, Samuel. After trying to run away, Samuel agrees to work as Rembrandt's studio apprentice to appease his father, a respected rabbi who wants his son to be a scholar. Samuel thrives in the studio as a talented printmaker. Meanwhile, Rembrandt struggles with a commission for militia commander Caption Banning Cocq, but he abandons it completely when his wife dies soon after childbirth. He also neglects his infant son. When a dismayed Samuel convinces the artist to fulfill his parental duties, he finally understands his own father. Rembrandt breaks from artistic convention to follow his heart, transforming the Captain's group portrait into his masterpiece, "The Nightwatch."
American artist Winslow Homer's illustrations for Harpers' Weekly magazine earned high praise for their honest portrayal of the Civil War. Discouraged by the horrors he witnessed, Homer abandons his post and heads to the quiet Houghton Farm to paint. His peace is soon disturbed by two curious teenagers who are intrigued by the canta kerous artist. Unable to shake them off, he asks them to be models. As they pose, Gabe and Fee become fast friends telling white lies as they each hide how painfully the war has shattered their own families. As Homer shares his personal experiences, he urges them to say goodbye to their ghosts and to move forward with their lives. Homer realizes the value of their friendship, as he works on a new painting at the schoolhouse, Snap the Whip.