An individual subjective view

Constitutes the greatest revolution in the visual art in the era

of Modernism.

Impressionism
The name scathingly given to the movement in 1874 by Louis
Leroy (an art critic) on viewing a painting of Monet called
Impression Sunrise.
The exhibition caused a great stir among the viewers and the
participants of this group were Degas, Pissaro, Cezanne,
Renoir, Monet, Sisley and Morisot
Aimed not at painting the idealized version of the external
world, but an attempt to establish an immediate impression

Monet, Impression Sunrise

Precursors
The Impressionists did not suddenly appear as an isolated
phenomenon.
19th C. Precursors: Romantics and Realists
Both these groups tried to break away from the static art of the
academy and sought for a personal form of expression.

What influenced impressionists?

The subjects of the Romantics and Realists
The ideas of Barbizone School and landscape themes
The abstract studies of movement in Turner land and seascapes.

Romantics
Imagination and strong emotion an important element in art

Realists
Sought inspiration in coeval reality.

Subject of Impressionist paintings

Lives of working class
Depiction of common man in act
Studies of nature in varied light conditions

Essential factor in growth of Impressionism

The invention of photography in 1839 that developed extensively
within a decade as a popular art form.

In 1850 the painter Paul Daroche (Academic Painter of the salon)

somberly declared - Now the art of painting is dead

Was it True?
Numerous mediocre painters of salon; Portrait and landscape
painters
Photography meant that the painting was liberated from the
constraints of imitating reality as closely as possible.
The camera recorded this reality with a fidelity, to truth and
detail which no painter could equal.

Advantage
This meant that the artist was freed from the task of imitating
objective reality and was free to give his own interpretation of
reality.

Impressionists fascination with this new discovery

Magical immediacy of the subjects
Momentary gestures
Photographic framework
Reference, to help the paintings

Colours a crucial Impressionist tool

Photography lacked colour
The discovery of colour theory that the whole spectrum of colour
is based on a few pure colours was extensively explored through
impressionistic technique
Phenomenon of colour along with light was seriously studied by
the impressionist painters

Use of Colours
Applied next to each other with small separated brushstrokes
and this juxtaposition of colours seemed to merge together when
seen from a distance.
Unless seen from a distance, no interrelationship between these
blobs of paint could be established.

The Impressionist artists were a diverse group with strong

individualistic approach.

Sisley painted virtually only landscapes.

Degas effortlessly endeavored to capture the transient

moments or tried to grasp the moving world in still images,

capturing the moments of modern life through depictions of
ballet dancers, to his fascination with scenes of bars and cafes.

Monet developed a variety of themes which clearly

demonstrate that he was a legendary master of light and is

widely admired for the use of subtle colors and innovative
painterly technique.
Impressionists focused on capturing
ephemeral effects of light on objects.

the

fleeting

and

Pissarro known for the lyrical representations of the

landscapes and as a master of portraying the elusive play of

light and shadow.

Manet and Renoir painted a large variety of subjects

which included both figurative as well as landscapes.

Japonism a popular trend among impressionists

Mary Cassatt for instance combined Japanese lines and

composition with colours applied in an impressionistic

manner. She painted intimate, beautiful images that reveal
the world of women (especially mothers) and children.

Sisley, Bridge at Villeneuve-la-Garenne

Sisley, Provencher's Mill at Moret

Sisley, Garden Path in Louveciennes

Sisley, Snow at Louveciennes

Sisley, The Canal of Loing at Moret

Sisley, Station at Sevres

Degas, Place de la Concorde

Degas, Pole

Degas, The dance class

Degas, The Rehearsal

Degas, The dance Class

Degas,
The dancers at
the bar

Degas, The dance Class

Monet, Water lilies

Monet, Water lilies

Monet, Water lilies

Monet,
Boulevard des Capucines

Monet, Rouen Cathedral, Bright Sun light

Monet, Rouen Cathedral, Dull Weather

Monet, The Japanese bridge

Pissaro, Les chataigniers a Osny (The Chestnut Trees at Osny)

Pissaro, Gelee balance (Hoarfrost)

Pissarro, The orchard

Pissarro, The autumn path

Manet, The Balcony

Manet, Le Chemin de fer (The Railroad)

Manet, Painting in His Floating Studio

Manet, Le Bar aux Folies-Bergre

Manet, Detail, Le Bar aux Folies-Bergre

Manet, The Execution of emperor Maximilan

Renoir, The Luncheon of the Boating Party

Detail,
The Luncheon of the Boating Party

Renoir, The oarsman

Renoir, The Canoeists' Luncheon

Renoir, The theater box

Renoir, The walk

Renoir, On the terrace

Mary Cassatt,
Mother and child

Mary Cassatt,
Mother and child

Mary Cassatt,
Lady at the Tea Table

Mary Cassatt,
Young girl at window

Mary Cassatt,
Summertime

Mary Cassatt, La Toilette

Mary Cassatt,
The bath

Mary Cassatt,
The lamp

Mary Cassatt,
The letter

Mary Cassatt,
Young women trying on a dress