Impressionism alludes to a movement or painting style that had its origin in France, and it was typified by a concern for the depiction of the visual impression of the moment, particularly in regards to the shifting of the color or light. This style of painting came into light when impressionist artists pooled their resources in order to exhibit their art to the public without waiting for the annual exhibitions of the Salon (A beginner’s guide to Impressionism, 2020). In total, they held eight exhibitions from 1874 to 1886, and they referred to themselves as the Anonymous Society of Painters.
The paintings by these individuals were criticized as being sketchlike and unfinished by conservatives, while progressives praised them for the depiction of modern life (Samu, 2004). While those exhibiting avoided collective names, which would imply that they are unified, some of them settled for the name ‘impressionists.’ Monet’s painting, which was exhibited in 1874, gave the movement’s name and identity when critics accused the artwork of being an impression or sketch, and not a finished painting. Romantic and Neoclassical paintings usually had a finished appearance. In addition, Manet, Courbet, and the impressionists took an unorthodox approach when they introduced landscape painting into their collections as they deemed them landscapes and scenes as worthy and important. Amid these periods, only history paintings were perceived as the ideal paintings and thus making the impressionists’ approach uncontemporary.
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The impressionists usually tried to capture a specific moment in time by showcasing the natural element of the scenery, for instance, in the way light bounces and reflects, and this approach to painting created colors that are very vibrant compared to mixed physical paints. Similarly, the paintings were more vivid. The last exhibition in 1886 marked the beginning of a new phase in avant-garde painting as most of the members developed novel, individual styles. Presently, a large portion of the works by impressionists are outside French collections as they were bought by Americans and other collectors that did not originate from France.
References
A beginner’s guide to Impressionism. (2020). Retrieved 18 February 2021, from https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/avant-garde-france/impressionism/a/a-beginners-guide-to-impressionism
Samu, M. (2004). Impressionism: Art and Modernity. Retrieved 18 February 2021, from https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/imml/hd_imml.htm
