Impressionism
Impressionism began with a group of Parisian painters who rejected the polished finish and historical subjects demanded by the official Salon. Instead they painted contemporary life, often outdoors (en plein air), trying to catch the momentary effect of light and atmosphere before it changed. Their technique - visible, broken brushstrokes and unblended color placed side by side - scandalized critics and gave the movement its name when a reviewer mocked Claude Monet's Impression, Sunrise (1872). Within a generation the movement had redone the rules of Western painting and become the public's best-loved art style.
Defining characteristics
- Visible, broken brushstrokes that keep the surface lively
- Light and its changing effects treated as the true subject
- En plein air (outdoor) painting, finishing works in a single sitting when possible
- Everyday modern subjects: boulevards, cafés, gardens, railways
- Soft edges and forms dissolved in atmosphere
- Pure, often unmixed color laid side by side for optical mixing
Key figures
- Claude Monet (1840-1926) — Named the movement and pushed serial studies of light to their end
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) — Brought warmth and figuration to Impressionist light
- Edgar Degas (1834-1917) — Degas combined Impressionist color with radical, cropped compositions
- Camille Pissarro (1830-1903) — The movement's elder statesman and mentor figure
- Berthe Morisot (1841-1895) — Core exhibitor whose domestic scenes match the movement's boldest brushwork
Example works
- Impression, Sunrise — Claude Monet (1872)
- Bal du moulin de la Galette — Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1876)
- The Dance Class — Edgar Degas (1874)
Sources
- Impressionism - Wikipedia encyclopedia
- Impressionism - The Art Story critical
- Impression, Sunrise - Wikipedia encyclopedia