🎨Impressionism and Post-Impressionism Unit 2 – Impressionist Masters: Signature Styles

Key Impressionist Artists

• Claude Monet, a founding father of Impressionism, renowned for his series paintings of haystacks, water lilies, and Rouen Cathedral
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir, celebrated for his luminous color palette, sensuous nudes, and depictions of Parisian leisure activities (luncheon of the boating party)
  • Specialized in portraiture and figure paintings that captured the essence of modern life in Paris
• Camille Pissarro, a mentor to many younger Impressionists, known for his rural landscapes and urban street scenes
• Alfred Sisley, an English Impressionist who focused on capturing the effects of light and atmosphere in his landscapes
• Berthe Morisot, a prominent female Impressionist recognized for her intimate domestic scenes and portraits of women and children
• Édouard Manet, a precursor to Impressionism, famous for his controversial paintings that challenged traditional art conventions (Luncheon on the Grass, Olympia)
• Edgar Degas, known for his innovative compositions, pastel drawings, and sculptures of ballet dancers and horse racing scenes

Defining Characteristics of Impressionism

• Emphasis on capturing the fleeting effects of light, color, and atmosphere in nature
• Loose, visible brushstrokes that convey a sense of spontaneity and immediacy
• Use of pure, unmixed colors to create vibrant, luminous effects on the canvas
  • Juxtaposition of complementary colors to enhance the intensity and brightness of the painting
• Focus on modern subject matter, such as everyday life, leisure activities, and the changing urban landscape
• Rejection of traditional academic rules of composition, perspective, and finish in favor of a more intuitive, expressive approach
• Painting en plein air (outdoors) to directly observe and capture the changing qualities of natural light
• Inclusion of movement and dynamism in the composition to evoke a sense of life and energy

Innovative Painting Techniques

• Wet-on-wet technique, applying wet paint onto a still-wet surface to create soft, blended edges and transitions
• Broken color, using small dabs or strokes of pure color that optically mix when viewed from a distance
  • Creates a shimmering, vibrant effect that captures the essence of light and atmosphere
• Impasto, applying thick, textured layers of paint to the canvas to emphasize the materiality and tactile qualities of the medium
• Use of a brighter, more saturated color palette to convey the intensity of natural light
• Experimentation with different brushstrokes (short, choppy, or long and fluid) to create a variety of textures and effects
• Adoption of a sketchy, unfinished appearance that suggests the transient nature of the subject matter
• Incorporation of visible brushstrokes and the artist's hand in the final work, emphasizing the process of creation

Favorite Subjects and Themes

• Landscapes, particularly the changing effects of light and atmosphere at different times of day (Monet's series paintings)
  • Rural scenes, gardens, and parks that showcase the beauty and tranquility of nature
• Urban scenes, capturing the bustling energy and modernity of Paris and other cities (Pissarro's boulevards, Renoir's cafes)
• Leisure activities, such as boating, dancing, and socializing, reflecting the growing middle-class culture of 19th-century France
• Portraits and figure studies, often depicting friends, family members, and models in intimate, informal settings (Morisot's portraits of women)
• Still lifes, featuring everyday objects, flowers, and food, rendered with a fresh, spontaneous approach
• The changing seasons, with a particular focus on the ephemeral qualities of spring and summer light
• The interplay between natural and artificial light, as seen in interior scenes and nightlife (Degas' theater and ballet paintings)

Color Theory and Light Effects

• Use of complementary colors (colors opposite each other on the color wheel) to create contrast and vibrancy
  • Examples include blue and orange, red and green, or yellow and purple
• Exploration of the effects of light on color, such as the way colors appear brighter and more saturated in direct sunlight
• Use of warm and cool colors to convey the temperature and atmosphere of a scene (warm colors for sunlight, cool colors for shadows)
• Emphasis on the use of pure, unmixed colors applied directly to the canvas, rather than blending them on a palette
• Study of the way colors interact and influence each other when placed side by side (simultaneous contrast)
• Capturing the changing qualities of light throughout the day, from the soft, diffused light of early morning to the harsh, direct light of midday
• Representation of the effects of light filtering through foliage, water, or atmospheric conditions (fog, mist, smoke)

Influence on Art History

• Impressionism marked a significant break from the traditional academic style of painting, paving the way for modern art movements
• Inspired the development of Post-Impressionism, a term encompassing various artists who extended and diverged from Impressionist principles (Van Gogh, Cézanne, Gauguin)
  • Post-Impressionists often used brighter colors, more expressive brushwork, and symbolic or emotional content in their work
• Influenced the rise of other avant-garde movements, such as Fauvism, Expressionism, and Cubism, which further explored the expressive potential of color, form, and abstraction
• Contributed to the growing appreciation for art that captured the modern, everyday experience, rather than historical or mythological subjects
• Encouraged the practice of plein air painting and the use of portable easels and paint tubes, making it easier for artists to work outdoors
• Paved the way for the acceptance of photography as an art form, as Impressionists often used photographs as reference material for their paintings
• Challenged the authority of the Salon and the traditional art establishment, leading to the creation of independent exhibitions and artist-led groups

Notable Masterpieces

• Claude Monet's "Impression, Sunrise" (1872), the painting that gave the movement its name
  • Depicts the port of Le Havre at dawn, with a hazy, atmospheric quality that emphasizes the effects of light and color
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir's "Luncheon of the Boating Party" (1880-1881), a quintessential example of Impressionist leisure and sociability
• Édouard Manet's "A Bar at the Folies-Bergère" (1882), a complex composition that captures the ambiance and alienation of modern Parisian nightlife
• Camille Pissarro's "Boulevard Montmartre, Spring" (1897), one of a series of paintings depicting the famous Parisian street at different times of day and year
• Alfred Sisley's "The Bridge at Moret-sur-Loing" (1893), a serene landscape that showcases the artist's mastery of light and atmosphere
• Berthe Morisot's "The Cradle" (1872), an intimate portrait of the artist's sister and nephew that exemplifies the Impressionist focus on domestic life
• Edgar Degas' "Little Dancer Aged Fourteen" (1881), a groundbreaking sculpture that captures the grace and vulnerability of a young ballerina

Legacy and Impact on Modern Art

• Impressionism's emphasis on capturing the fleeting moments of everyday life and the effects of light and color influenced the development of modern art
• The Impressionists' rejection of traditional academic rules and embrace of a more spontaneous, expressive approach to painting set the stage for the avant-garde movements of the early 20th century
  • Artists such as Matisse, Kandinsky, and Picasso built upon the Impressionists' innovations in color, form, and brushwork to create new styles of abstract and expressive art
• The Impressionists' focus on modern, everyday subjects and their engagement with the contemporary world influenced later artists' interest in capturing the experience of modern life
• Impressionism's popularity and commercial success helped to establish the idea of the artist as an independent, entrepreneurial figure, paving the way for the rise of the art market and the concept of the "celebrity artist"
• The Impressionists' use of portable easels, paint tubes, and other modern tools and techniques made it easier for subsequent generations of artists to work outdoors and experiment with new materials and methods
• Impressionism's influence can be seen in the work of countless modern and contemporary artists who continue to explore the effects of light, color, and atmosphere in their paintings, photographs, and installations
• The Impressionists' legacy continues to inspire and engage audiences around the world, with major exhibitions and retrospectives of their work regularly held in museums and galleries