Impressionism
By Kelsey Sloup
Background History
This movement lasted from 1865-1885 and was launched by a group of artists in Paris. It came after the Realism movement, which focused on accurately portraying the real world. Unlike Realism, Impressionism broke away from traditional painting styles and focused on capturing what the artist saw and how they saw it. The key techniques of Impressionism include short brush strokes, vibrant unblended colors, and an emphasis on light. Impressionism helped shaped the Modern Art Movement because the artists weren't afraid to break from tradition and try something new.
Famous Artists
Claude Monet- 1840-1926. One of the founders of Impressionism who is well known for his nature scenes.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir- 1841-1919. Known for his paintings of women and children.
Edgar Degas- 1834-1917. His work is often identified with dance. More than half of his paintings involve dancers.
Camille Pissarro- 1830-1903. One of the oldest artists in the movement. Many of his works involve nature scenes from villages.
Impression, Sunrise
Monet (1872)
Two Sisters
Renoir (1881)
Ballet Rehearsal
Degas (1873)
My favorite work
My favorite work is Study of a Figure Outdoors: Woman with a Parasol, facing left, 1886 by Claude Monet. I like this painting because of the vibrant colors that give it sort of a dreamlike feeling. The texture and shape of the brushstrokes create an image of a beautiful sunny day with a light breeze. I feel like I am actually in this painting when I look at it.