A Guide to Impressionism: The Shocking New Art Movement

The word “impressionism” makes most people think of beautiful, sunlit paintings of the French countryside; glorious gardens and lily ponds; and fashionable Parisians enjoying life in charming cafes. But in 1874, when the men and women who came to known as the Impressionists first exhibited their work, their style of painting was considered shocking and outrageous by all but the most forward-thinking viewers. Why did these young artists cause such an uproar? The following comparison shows how their radical ideas, techniques, and subjects broke the time-honored rules and traditions of art in late 19^th-century France.

“What do we see in the work of these men? Nothing but defiance, almost an insult to the tastes and intelligence of the public.” -Etienne Carjat, “L’exposition du bouldevard des Capucines,” Le Patriote Francais (1874)

“There is little doubt that Impressionist landscape paintings are the most…appreciated works of art ever produced.” –Richard Brettell and Scott Schaefer, A Day in the Country: Impressionism and the French Landscape

The accepted style of painting often featured:

• Great historical subjects or mythological scenes that were meant to be morally uplifting;
• An emphasis on line, filled in with color;
• Smooth, almost invisible brushstrokes;
• Paintings primarily done in the artist’s studio

Impressionist style of painting often featured:

• Ordinary subjects from everyday life;
• An emphasis on color, lines, “dissolved”;
• Highly visible brushstrokes referred to as “painterly”;
• Paintings completed outdoors or en plein air.

More on Outside and Out of the Box: A Guide to Impressionism: 

→  The Shocking New Art Movement
→  Challenging the Establishment
→  A New Society of Artists
→  A City Under Construction, Artists on the Move
→  The Science of Color
→  Scenes from Daily Life and Movement
→  A Modern Woman
→  New Directions