Impressionism and Post-Impressionism (Vocabulary Flashcards)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, works, and artists from Impressionism and Post-Impressionism as described in the lecture notes.

Impressionism

A 19th-century Paris-based art movement known for loose brushstrokes, bright colors, and an emphasis on capturing light and momentary perception, often painted outdoors.

Post-Impressionism

An art movement from the late 1880s reacting against Impressionism, stressing more structure, emotion, bold colors, and individual artist styles.

en plein air

Outdoor painting; creating works outside the studio to capture natural light and atmosphere.

Claude Monet

Father of Impressionism; a leading practitioner who emphasized painting nature and plein-air landscapes.

Impression, Sunrise

Monet’s painting from which the term ‘Impressionism’ is derived.

Saint-Lazare Station

A Monet painting depicting modern urban life at a railway station.

Girl with a Parasol

A notable Monet work illustrating Impressionist treatment of light and movement.

Loose brushstrokes

Visible, quick dabs of paint used to convey movement and light.

Bright colors

Vivid, unmixed colors placed side by side to capture optical effects of light.

Focus on light

Centering the painting on how light changes and affects color and form.

Outdoor scenes

Landscapes, gardens, city streets, and leisure activities painted outside.

Everyday life subjects

Scenes of ordinary people, markets, boating, cafés, and daily activities.

No heavy outlines

Forms dissolve into light and color rather than being sharply edged.

Capturing a moment

Prioritizing an instant visual impression over perfect detail.

Paul Cézanne

Post-Impressionist artist noted for bringing more structure and form to painting.

Vincent van Gogh

Post-Impressionist known for bold colors and expressive, thick brushwork.

Café Terrace at Night

Van Gogh painting highlighted for its bold color contrasts and mood created by brushwork.

Gauguin

Post-Impressionist who spent time in Tahiti; retained expressive color, denial of perspective, and thick flat forms.

Seurat

Post-Impressionist listed among notable artists in the lecture.

Luncheon at the Boating Party

Renoir painting depicting leisure; a notable work mentioned in the notes.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Notable Impressionist artist listed in the lecture.

Mary Cassatt

Notable Impressionist artist listed in the lecture.

Edgar Degas

Notable artist from the Impressionist era listed in the notes.

Gustave Caillebotte

Notable artist from the Impressionist era listed in the notes.

Frédéric Bazille

Notable artist from the Impressionist era listed in the notes.

Giverny

Monet’s home with his famous gardens and water lilies.

Composition (Post-Impressionism)

Greater emphasis on design, balance, and underlying structure in artworks.

Distinct edges

Use of outlines or clear edges to define shapes, unlike the soft blending of Impressionism.

Expression over observation

Preference for the artist’s personal vision and meaning over strict optical accuracy.

Bold colors (Post-Impressionism)

Sometimes unnatural or mood-driven colors chosen to convey emotion or idea.

Denial of perspective

A tendency in some Post-Impressionist works to avoid traditional perspective, favoring flattened forms.