Impressionism Movement

Impressionism started in France in 1860. Impressionist art is a style that captures an object as if it had only been seen for a moment. The pictures have vibrant colors, usually outdoor scenes, and the use of sunlight and shadows.

Some of the most famous impressionist artists were Claude Monet, Camille Pissaro, Alfred Sisley, Pierre Auguste Renoir and Edgar Degas.

The Impressionism movement started because several paintings were rejected by the jury of the salon including The Luncheon on the Grass by Edward Manet. After seeing the rejected work, Emperor Napoleon III decided to allow the public to judge the art. That was when the “Salon of the Refused” was organized. It drew more people than the regular salon. Artists then asked for another “Salon of the Refused” in 1867 and 1872, but they were denied. In 1873, a few artists, including Monet, put together an organization called, “Association of Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers.” They showed their art work independently. There were thirty artists that participated in the first exhibit in April 1874.

Critic, Louis Leroy, wrote a newspaper review about the Claude Monet painting Impression Sunrise. He said it looked like unfinished work. He gave Monet, and artists of similar style, the name in which they would be known for, The Impressionists.

The Impressionists put on eight shows between 1874 and 1886. Pissarra was the only one that showed work in all eight exhibits.

By Jayanna Avery