Paul Durand-Ruel (1831-1922) was a French art dealer thought to be the first to support Impressionists including Camille Pissarro, Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. He cultivated international interest in French artists by establishing art galleries and exhibitions in cities including London, New York, Berlin and Brussels. He was instrumental in the decentralization of art markets in France, which prior to the mid-19th century were monopolized by the 'Salon' state-sponsored system, from which the Impressionists were excluded. From the 1870s, with the assistance of Durand-Ruel and other dealers, these artists were able to set up a series of independent art exhibitions which created new art markets.