Impressionism is a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists who sought to break from the rigid traditions of the French academic art system. The style is defined by its emphasis on capturing the immediate visual impression of a scene, particularly the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. The defining characteristics include relatively small, thin, yet visible brushstrokes, an open composition, and a focus on ordinary subject matter drawn from modern life. Artists moved away from the studio to paint outdoors, or en plein air, a practice that allowed them to directly observe and render the changing qualities of daylight.
The movement's name was coined derisively by the critic Louis Leroy after viewing Claude Monet's painting Impression, soleil levant (Impression, Sunrise) at the first independent exhibition of the group in 1874. Leroy and other critics condemned the works for their seemingly unfinished, sketch-like appearance, which contrasted sharply with the polished, detailed style favored by the official Salon. The Impressionists embraced the label, continuing to hold eight exhibitions between 1874 and 1886.
Instead of depicting historical, mythological, or religious themes, Impressionists turned their attention to the world around them: Parisian boulevards, cafés, dance halls, suburban leisure, and rural landscapes. They employed a bright palette of often unmixed colors, applying them in dabs of "broken color" that allowed the viewer's eye to optically blend them, resulting in a more vibrant and luminous quality. This technique was part of a larger interest in visual perception and the way light interacts with surfaces. Though initially met with harsh criticism, Impressionism fundamentally altered the course of Western art by liberating color and brushwork from purely descriptive roles, paving the way for Post-Impressionism and subsequent modern art movements.
History[]
While Impressionism did not explicitly begin until the 1870s, it has its roots in works and artists prior to this time. Henri Fantin-Latour’s realist works occasionally reflected the experimental styles that characterized Impressionism. Johan Jongkind’s and Eugène Boudin’s interest in the portrayal and impact of light were similarly important. Edouard Manet also frequented Impressionist circles; both his techniques and subject matter influenced Impressionism. Manet is sometimes seen as the transition from Realism to Impressionism.
The first Impressionist exhibition was held in Paris in 1874, and featured Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, and Berthe Morisot, amongst many others. [1] It was “greeted with taunts, skepticism . . . the word Impressionism was used by a hostile critic as a derisive term”.
Visual[]
One of the most important parts of Impressionism was the portrayal of light. This led to the “dabbed” brushwork that is so prominent, as it allowed artists to better portray light in their paintings. The brushwork also made the paintings appear unfinished, as if they were an “impression” of a painting.
Color also played an important role. Prior to Impressionism, painters frequently applied a varnish that toned down the colors of their works. Impressionist artists rejected this idea. Furthermore, developments in synthetic pigments allowed artists to use new, brighter colors that contrasted previous art styles.[2]
Notable Artists[]
- Frédéric Bazille
- Eugène Boudin
- Mary Stevenson Cassatt
- Paul Cézanne
- Edgar Degas
- Paul Gauguin
- Paul Guigou
- Vincent Van Gogh
- Édouard Manet
- Oscar-Claude Monet
- Berthe Morisot
- Camille Pissarro
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir
- Alfred Sisley
Gallery[]
References[]
- https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/i/impressionism
- http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/realism-to-impressionism.htm
- Moffett, Charles S. Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Paintings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. ISBN 0-8109-1104-3.