Before Impressionism, artists were restricted within the confines of French Salons, where classical subjects and traditional techniques were prioritised. Impressionism broke through these confinements during the 19th century, when artists took their easels outside to capture scenes of France.
Key zeitgeists for this groundbreaking movement, ranging from 1860 to 1890, included Claude Monet (considered to be the father of Impressionism), Edgar Degas and Camilie Pissarro to name a few. They first exhibited their work in Paris in 1874, to which critics were overwhelmingly negative and hostile, referencing the painting’s unfinished appearance.
Impressionist paintings can be identified via five aspects: En Plein Air painting, visible brushstrokes, colour and contrasts, focus on light and atmosphere, and everyday subjects.
Firstly, Impressionists chose to paint Ein Plein Air, meaning “in the open air.” This meant they sought to capture fleeting moments, creating immediate sensations of a time and place. Artists such as Monet captured the same subject in his Haystacks Series, 1890-1891, expressing the ephemeral quality of the outdoors. This would later stimulate the development of pre-mixed paint tubes.
During the first Impressionist exhibition, much criticism was placed on the paint application, identified as impasto, where paint was applied thickly, creating a visual texture to the composition.
With thick paint application came the extravagant use of colour, contrasting the previously muted colour palettes of French Salon tradition. One can imagine walking into the 1874 exhibition as audiences were overwhelmed by the multitude of colours that captured and accentuated the beauty of everyday life.
This relates to the Impressionists’ interest in light and atmosphere, which was helped by the unlimited colour palettes, where artists studied how light sources affected colour and form.
Finally, Impressionists chose everyday subjects over allegorical and historical figures, putting the common person at the centre of compositions. This further included capturing industrialised and urban scenes during the late 19th century.
Impressionism was one of the first artistic movements that paved the way for later modernist movements, including Post-Impressionism, where Paul Cezanne retained the fundamental doctrine of Impressionism but further explored ideas of time and space.
“Reflections of Clouds on the Water-Lily Pond” by ralph and jenny is licensed under CC BY 2.0.