What Is Impressionist Art?
Impressionism refers to an artistic movement that began in France in the late 19th century and soon spread to many other countries throughout the world. According to the WebMuseum of Paris, the primary characteristic of Impressionist art is "an attempt to accurately and objectively record visual reality in terms of transient effects of light and color."
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Origin
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In the 1860s, in opposition to the classical, sentimental, and precise painting favored by the art establishment in France, a group of artists began to paint the colors and forms of objects as they appeared in natural light at a given time. This group included Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
Naming the Movement
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In 1874, the artists who opposed the French art establishment organized their own Paris exhibition. In this exhibition was a painting by Monet called "Impression: Sunrise." When an art critic remarked that this work was not a finished painting, but merely a sketch or "impression," the name of the art movement was created.
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"Impression: Sunrise"
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In his controversial 1874 painting, Monet attempted to capture his own impression of the sunrise, rather than paint the "ideal" sunrise. His use of short, broken brushstrokes, as well as shimmering colors and staggering light and shadow effects marked the essence of Impressionism.
Open Air
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Women sewing and reading outside a cafe, painted "en plein air" by Gustave Caillebotte. Many Impressionist paintings are produced outdoors, or what is known as "en plein air," in order to capture the actual effects of light on a given subject at a certain time.
Primary Colors
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Contrasting primary colors so that they blend when viewed at a distance and become more vivid is another technique employed by Impressionist painters.
Impressionism Outside of France
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The Impressionist approach met with great favor in many other countries. Examples of non-French Impressionists include Americans Mary Cassatt and Childe Hassam, Anna Ancher from Denmark, and the British painter, Walter Sickert.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of freeparking Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Mike Licht
