The Impressionist Movement Essay Example
Keren Escoto
Prof. Clayborn
Western Civilization 1
April 10, 2008
The Impressionist Movement Impressionism, French Impressionnisme, is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as “a theory or style of painting originating and developed in France during the 1870s, characterized by concentration on the immediate visual impression produced by a scene and by the use of unmixed primary colors and small strokes to simulate actual reflected light.” Impressionist painting comprises the works of art produced between about 1867 and 1886 by a group of artists that shared related techniques and approaches to art. The title ‘Impressionism’ originated from the influence of Claude Monet and his famous painting, Impression Sunrise. This movement caused a great impact; however critics at the time did not accept such works and did not consider them to be art. The characteristics of impressionism stand out in their own genre and each great artist has his own style. The most conspicuous characteristic of Impressionism was the attempt to accurately portray visual realities in terms of transient effects of light and color. Some of the main artists of this movement include Monet, Van Gogh, and Degas. Impressionistic art gave a new perspective on human experiences. Impressionism had a rough beginning in the 19th century. Napoleon had rebuilt Paris and had waged war all over Europe, and the Académie des Beaux Arts subjugated the art scene in France. The Académie held the standards for French paintings both for style and content. The Académie valued works that were carefully finished and that had images which showed reality when they were examined closely. There was an annual art show, the Salon de Paris that was represented by the highly polished works. In 1863, The Luncheon on the Grass by Manet was rejected by the jury because it portrayed nude women and clothed men at a picnic. While nudes were generally accepted however it was only in reference to historical or allegorical
Prof. Clayborn
Western Civilization 1
April 10, 2008
The Impressionist Movement Impressionism, French Impressionnisme, is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as “a theory or style of painting originating and developed in France during the 1870s, characterized by concentration on the immediate visual impression produced by a scene and by the use of unmixed primary colors and small strokes to simulate actual reflected light.” Impressionist painting comprises the works of art produced between about 1867 and 1886 by a group of artists that shared related techniques and approaches to art. The title ‘Impressionism’ originated from the influence of Claude Monet and his famous painting, Impression Sunrise. This movement caused a great impact; however critics at the time did not accept such works and did not consider them to be art. The characteristics of impressionism stand out in their own genre and each great artist has his own style. The most conspicuous characteristic of Impressionism was the attempt to accurately portray visual realities in terms of transient effects of light and color. Some of the main artists of this movement include Monet, Van Gogh, and Degas. Impressionistic art gave a new perspective on human experiences. Impressionism had a rough beginning in the 19th century. Napoleon had rebuilt Paris and had waged war all over Europe, and the Académie des Beaux Arts subjugated the art scene in France. The Académie held the standards for French paintings both for style and content. The Académie valued works that were carefully finished and that had images which showed reality when they were examined closely. There was an annual art show, the Salon de Paris that was represented by the highly polished works. In 1863, The Luncheon on the Grass by Manet was rejected by the jury because it portrayed nude women and clothed men at a picnic. While nudes were generally accepted however it was only in reference to historical or allegorical