Impressionism

Impressionism Overview

  • Definition: A 19th-century art movement characterized by a focus on capturing light and movement, initiated by Parisian artists in the 1870s and 1880s.

  • Origin of Name: The term "Impressionism" comes from Claude Monet's painting "Impression, Sunrise" (1872), which prompted critic Louis Leroy to use it in a satirical review.

  • Key Characteristics:

    • Small, thin, visible brush strokes

    • Open composition

    • Accurate depiction of light’s changing qualities

    • Subject matter focusing on ordinary scenes

    • Inclusion of movement in human experience and perception

    • Unconventional visual angles.

Background Context

  • Radical Changes: Impressionists rejected the academic painting norms, favoring color and light over precise lines.

  • Influences: Influences from artists like Eugène Delacroix and a shift to plein air (outdoor) painting helped depict transient effects of sunlight.

  • Technique: Utilized short, broken brush strokes combining mixed and pure colors to create vibrant compositions.

Significant Artists

  • Core Figures: Key figures include Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissarro, and Edouard Manet.

  • Evolving Membership: The group exhibited together from 1874 to 1886, despite differing artistic beliefs.

Institutional Challenges

  • The Académie des Beaux-Arts: Dominated mid-19th century French art; valued traditional subjects and polished images.

  • Salon Struggles: Many Impressionists faced rejection from the Salon, leading to the establishment of the Salon des Refusés in 1863 to showcase rejected works.

Artistic Techniques

  • Innovations: They refrained from traditional techniques such as oil glazes and instead layered wet paint in innovative ways to create softer edges and bold colors.

  • Color Use: Focused on side-by-side application of colors, enhancing vibrancy without direct mixing.

Influence and Legacy

  • Cultural Impact: Impressionism influenced subsequent movements like Neo-Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, and Cubism.

  • Expanding Beyond France: The movement inspired artists globally, including American, British, and Australian Impressionists, as well as significant impacts in sculpture, photography, and literature.

Timeline of Key Developments

  • Salon des Refusés (1863): Established by Emperor Napoleon III after numerous artist rejections, helped highlight emerging styles.

  • First Exhibition (1874): Organized by Monet and others, received mixed reviews yet solidified the term "Impressionists."

Major Works Example

  • Claude Monet's "Woman with a Parasol" (1875)

  • Techniques and Themes: Captured spontaneity in light, everyday life, and displayed artistic freedom from strict compositional norms.

Impressionism’s Broader Context in Art

  • Reaction to Photography: Also served as a rebellion against realism brought forth by photography; focused instead on subjective perceptions of reality.

  • Influence of Japanese Art: Contributed to distinct angles and compositions common in Impressionist works.give me a review on the centuries