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Impressionism
1860s-1880s
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by small, thin brush strokes, emphasis on light and its changing qualities, ordinary subject matter, and unusual visual angles.
Historical Context
Impressionism originated in Paris in the 1860s as a reaction against the rigid rules of academic painting. The name came from Claude Monet's work "Impression, Sunrise". Artists began painting outdoors (en plein air) to capture natural light and color.
Key Characteristics
- •Emphasis on capturing light and its changing qualities
- •Visible brush strokes and open composition
- •Ordinary subject matter from everyday life
- •Movement and unusual visual angles
- •Pure, unmixed colors applied side-by-side
