🎩Nineteenth Century Art Unit 6 – Impressionism

Historical Context

• Emerged in Paris, France during the 1860s and 1870s as a reaction against the rigid rules of academic painting
• Influenced by the rise of photography, which challenged traditional notions of art and representation
• Coincided with the rapid modernization and industrialization of Paris under the Second Empire and Third Republic
  • Haussmann's urban renewal project transformed the city with wide boulevards, parks, and new buildings
  • Growing middle class had more leisure time and disposable income to spend on art and entertainment
• Reflected the changing social and cultural landscape of the time, with a focus on modern life, leisure activities, and the effects of light and atmosphere
• Rejected the idealized and historical subjects favored by the Salon, the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts
• Faced initial resistance and criticism from the art establishment for their unconventional approach and subject matter
• Gained support from progressive writers, critics, and patrons who saw them as a breath of fresh air in the art world

Key Artists and Their Works

• Claude Monet (1840-1926)
  • Leader and most prolific artist of the movement
  • Known for his series paintings of haystacks, poplars, and the Rouen Cathedral to capture changing light and atmosphere
  • Famous works include "Impression, Sunrise" (1872), "Woman with a Parasol" (1875), and "Water Lilies" series (1896-1926)
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919)
  • Renowned for his luminous color palette and sensuous depictions of female figures and everyday scenes
  • Notable works include "Luncheon of the Boating Party" (1880-81), "Dance at the Moulin de la Galette" (1876), and "The Umbrellas" (1881-85)
• Edgar Degas (1834-1917)
  • Focused on capturing the movement and grace of ballet dancers, horse races, and female nudes
  • Experimented with unusual compositions and perspectives, often cropping figures at the edges of the frame
  • Iconic works include "The Dance Class" (1873-76), "The Absinthe Drinker" (1875-76), and "Little Dancer Aged Fourteen" (1878-81)
• Camille Pissarro (1830-1903)
  • Painted rural and urban landscapes with a keen eye for the effects of light and weather
  • Served as a mentor to younger artists like Paul Cézanne and Paul Gauguin
  • Representative works include "The Boulevard Montmartre on a Winter Morning" (1897) and "The Red Roofs" (1877)
• Alfred Sisley (1839-1899)
  • Specialized in tranquil landscapes of the French countryside, often featuring rivers, bridges, and small villages
  • Known for his delicate touch and subtle color harmonies
  • Notable works include "The Bridge at Villeneuve-la-Garenne" (1872) and "The Flood at Port-Marly" (1876)

Artistic Techniques and Style

• Emphasized capturing the fleeting effects of light, color, and atmosphere in nature
• Worked en plein air (outdoors) to directly observe and record their subjects under different lighting conditions
• Used loose, visible brushstrokes to convey a sense of spontaneity and immediacy
  • Broke with the smooth, polished finish of academic painting
  • Created a more tactile and expressive surface texture
• Employed a bright, pure color palette to capture the intensity and vibrancy of natural light
  • Juxtaposed complementary colors (like blue and orange) to create visual contrast and luminosity
  • Avoided the use of black and brown tones, which were common in traditional painting
• Experimented with optical mixing, placing small dabs of pure color side by side to create a shimmering effect when viewed from a distance
• Adopted a sketch-like, unfinished quality in their paintings to suggest the transient nature of modern life and the artist's subjective perception
• Focused on overall visual impression rather than detailed realism or narrative content
  • Simplified forms and eliminated extraneous details to emphasize the essential elements of a scene
  • Used composition and cropping to create dynamic, asymmetrical arrangements

Themes and Subject Matter

• Celebrated the beauty and vitality of the modern world, particularly the changing landscape of Paris and its environs
• Depicted scenes of leisure and entertainment, such as parks, cafes, theaters, and outdoor festivities
  • Reflected the growing middle-class culture of leisure and consumption in the late 19th century
  • Captured the social interactions and fashions of the time
• Explored the effects of light and atmosphere on natural landscapes, including gardens, fields, and waterways
  • Painted series of the same subject under different lighting conditions (morning, afternoon, evening) to study the variations in color and mood
  • Emphasized the ephemeral and ever-changing qualities of nature
• Portrayed the working class and rural life with a sense of dignity and empathy
  • Depicted laborers, peasants, and tradespeople going about their daily activities
  • Avoided sentimentality or idealization in favor of a more honest and direct approach
• Experimented with modern subjects and compositions, such as unusual viewpoints, cropped figures, and scenes of urban life
  • Reflected the influence of photography and Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) on their artistic vision
  • Challenged traditional notions of what constituted a suitable subject for art

Influence on Art World

• Challenged the dominance of academic art and the Salon system in France
  • Rejected the strict rules and conventions of classical painting, such as idealized beauty, historical subjects, and smooth finish
  • Paved the way for greater artistic freedom and experimentation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
• Inspired the formation of independent art exhibitions and societies, such as the Société Anonyme Coopérative des Artistes Peintres, Sculpteurs, Graveurs (Cooperative and Anonymous Association of Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers) in 1874
  • Provided a platform for Impressionist artists to showcase their work outside the official Salon
  • Helped to establish the model of the avant-garde artist as a rebel against the establishment
• Influenced the development of Post-Impressionism, a term coined by art critic Roger Fry to describe the various artistic movements that followed Impressionism in the 1880s and 1890s
  • Artists such as Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, and Paul Gauguin built upon the innovations of Impressionism while pursuing their own unique styles and visions
  • Emphasized subjective expression, symbolic content, and formal experimentation over the Impressionists' focus on optical reality
• Contributed to the growing internationalization of modern art in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
  • Impressionist exhibitions attracted artists and collectors from across Europe and the United States
  • Inspired the formation of similar artistic movements in other countries, such as the American Impressionists and the Australian Heidelberg School

Legacy and Impact

• Revolutionized the way artists approached color, light, and form in painting
  • Liberated color from its descriptive function and emphasized its expressive and decorative qualities
  • Demonstrated the power of light to transform the appearance and mood of a subject
  • Opened up new possibilities for the representation of modern life and subjective experience
• Influenced the development of modern art in the 20th century, particularly the movements of Fauvism, Expressionism, and Abstract Expressionism
  • Fauvist artists like Henri Matisse and André Derain adopted the Impressionists' bold, expressive use of color and loose brushwork
  • Expressionist artists like Edvard Munch and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner drew inspiration from the Impressionists' emphasis on subjective experience and emotional intensity
  • Abstract Expressionist artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning admired the Impressionists' spontaneous, gestural approach to painting
• Changed the way the public viewed and appreciated art in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
  • Challenged traditional notions of beauty and taste, and expanded the range of acceptable subjects and styles in art
  • Helped to create a new market for modern art among middle-class collectors and patrons
  • Contributed to the growing popularity of art exhibitions and the rise of the modern art museum as a cultural institution
• Left a lasting legacy on the art world and popular culture, with Impressionist paintings now among the most recognizable and beloved works of art in history
  • Impressionist masterpieces like Monet's "Water Lilies" and Renoir's "Luncheon of the Boating Party" are iconic images that have been widely reproduced and adapted in various media
  • The Impressionist style has been imitated and reinterpreted by countless artists, illustrators, and designers in the fields of painting, graphic design, animation, and fashion

Critical Reception and Debates

• Initially met with hostility and derision from conservative art critics and the general public
  • Criticized for their sketchy, unfinished appearance and lack of detail and refinement
  • Accused of being "impressionists" who merely recorded their fleeting sensations rather than creating carefully crafted works of art
  • Seen as a threat to the established values and traditions of academic art
• Gradually gained acceptance and appreciation among progressive critics, writers, and collectors in the 1870s and 1880s
  • Championed by influential figures like Émile Zola, who praised their originality and modernity
  • Supported by dealers like Paul Durand-Ruel, who organized solo exhibitions and helped to build an international market for their work
  • Admired by younger artists who saw them as a model of artistic freedom and innovation
• Sparked debates about the nature and purpose of art in the modern age
  • Raised questions about the role of the artist in society and the relationship between art and reality
  • Challenged the idea that art should serve a moral or didactic function, and instead emphasized its aesthetic and expressive qualities
  • Contributed to the growing sense of art as a subjective and individual pursuit, rather than a collective or academic enterprise
• Continues to be a subject of scholarly debate and interpretation, with ongoing discussions about their place in the history of modern art and their relevance to contemporary artistic practice
  • Some scholars argue that the Impressionists were the first truly modern artists, who broke with the past and paved the way for the avant-garde movements of the 20th century
  • Others see them as a transitional group who remained rooted in the realist tradition and the bourgeois values of their time
  • Still others emphasize the diversity and complexity of the Impressionist movement, which encompassed a range of individual styles and approaches

Related Movements and Comparisons

• Realism
  • Preceded Impressionism in the mid-19th century and shared its interest in depicting contemporary life and society
  • Emphasized the accurate and objective representation of the visible world, often with a focus on social and political issues
  • Artists like Gustave Courbet and Édouard Manet were influential precursors to the Impressionists, but maintained a more solid and finished style of painting
• Post-Impressionism
  • Followed Impressionism in the 1880s and 1890s and built upon its innovations while pursuing new directions in art
  • Artists like Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, and Paul Gauguin emphasized subjective expression, symbolic content, and formal experimentation
  • Cézanne explored the underlying structure and geometry of nature, while Van Gogh and Gauguin used color and form to convey intense emotional states and spiritual themes
• Neo-Impressionism
  • Emerged in the 1880s as a more scientific and systematic approach to the Impressionist style
  • Artists like Georges Seurat and Paul Signac used pointillist techniques, applying small dots of pure color to create optical mixing and luminous effects
  • Emphasized the rational and objective study of color theory and perception, in contrast to the Impressionists' more intuitive and spontaneous approach
• Fauvism
  • Developed in the early 20th century as a more radical and expressive offshoot of Impressionism
  • Artists like Henri Matisse and André Derain used bold, non-naturalistic colors and simplified forms to create emotionally charged and decorative compositions
  • Emphasized the autonomy and expressive power of color, liberating it from its representational function and exploring its psychological and spiritual dimensions