Impressionism

Impressionism

Overview of Impressionism

• Art Movement: 19th-century movement that began in Paris.

  • Associated with artists' independent exhibitions in the 1870s and 1880s.

• Origin of Name: Derived from Claude Monet's painting "Impression, Sunrise".

• Characteristics:

  • Small, visible brush strokes.

  • Open composition.

  • Accurate depiction of light and its changing qualities, emphasizing the passage of time.

  • Focus on ordinary subject matter.

  • Inclusion of movement as a key element in visual perception.

  • Unusual visual angles.

• Historical Context:

  • Followed by similar movements in music and literature.

Beginnings of Impressionism

• Institutional Dominance:

  • The Académie des Beaux-Arts governed French art, emphasizing traditional styles such as historical and religious themes.

• Rejection by Académie:

  • Landscape and still life paintings were undervalued, suppressing artists' expressive brushwork.

• Rise of Young Realists:

  • Successors like Monet and Renoir sought to bring lightness and brightness into painting, mirroring Gustave Courbet's realism.

• Salon de Paris:

  • Annual art show dominated by the Académie standards; nonconformists often faced rejection.

  • The controversy surrounding Édouard Manet's "The Luncheon on the Grass" illustrated the conflict between tradition and modernity.

  • Salon des Refusés: Established by Napoleon III in 1863 for rejected works, showcasing new tendencies.

Impressionist Techniques

• Plein Air Painting:

  • Artists painted outdoors to capture sunlight effects and the essence of modern life.

• Brushwork:

  • Short, broken strokes using unmixed colors to create vibrancy and movement.

• Color Use:

  • Avoidance of black; complementary colors produce grays and dark tones.

  • Application of colors side-by-side for optical mixing in the viewer's eye.

  • Bold shadow work incorporating local colors influenced by the light.

• Transience and Candidness:

  • Paintings often resemble snapshots, capturing fleeting moments of daily life.

Key Figures in Impressionism

• Core Group:

  • Notable artists include Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, and Frédéric Bazille, who painted together and shared a similar vision.

• Disputes and Defections:

  • Artists including Cézanne and Renoir experienced conflicts with group practices, leading to absences from some exhibitions.

• Continued Exhibitions:

  • The group exhibited together eight times between 1874 and 1886, leading to the solidification of the Impressionist identity.

Impact of Photography and Japanese Art

• Impact of Photography:

  • The rise of candid photography challenged painters to explore subjective reality rather than mere imitation of the natural world.

• Japanese Art Influence:

  • Asymmetrical compositions and unconventional angles inspired by Japanese prints became significant in developing Impressionist techniques.

Evolution and Influence

• Post-Impressionism:

  • Movement following Impressionism in the late 1880s, with artists like Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and Georges Seurat exploring color and form differently.

• Musical and Literary Influence:

  • Musical Impressionism arose around the late 19th century, characterized by suggestive atmosphere and a focus on short forms. Notable composers include Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.

  • Literature influenced by this style also emerged, emphasizing sensory impressions and subjective narratives.

Conclusion

• Legacy of Impressionism:

  • By the late 19th century, Impressionist techniques permeated Salon art, creating a lasting impact on modern art movements such as Neo-Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, and Cubism.