[1] His writings on Impressionism, Post-Impressionism as well as on art of earlier and more recent generations, with his most important contributions translated into French, Russian, and English are considered to have been instrumental for the understanding and the lasting success of these artistic movements.

Similarly, his 1910 book, Spanische Reise ("Spanish Journey"), led to the "rediscovery" of El Greco and the recognition of the artist as a forerunner to the Expressionists.

They stayed there to escape the rise of the Nazi movement in Germany, where he was under attack for his promotion of what the National Socialists called "Degenerate Art."

Meier-Graefe and Epstein encouraged and helped the landscape painter Walter Bondy and the writer René Schickele to relocate to the area as well.

Their efforts led to the formation of a large German-Jewish refugee arts-colony in neighboring Sanary-sur-Mer, whose members included Thomas Mann, Lion Feuchtwanger, and Ludwig Marcuse.