IMPRESSIONIST PAINTING: CHARACTERISTICS, AUTHORS AND WORKS - ART - 2025

The impressionist painting is an artistic movement that was generated in France in the late nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century. This artistic style is based on a series of works created by French artists from 1867 to 1886, which had a great number of similarities to each other.

It originated as a consequence of a work by Claude Monet, which was called Impression. This work is the name of the Impressionist movement. What set this art style apart from the rest of the art of the time was the use of a fairly realistic lighting style.

Print, by Claude Monet

This was achieved through the use of various shades of color and employing light techniques that remained popular throughout the Impressionist period.

The art style was so different from the rest that most French painters faced a great deal of criticism from the art community in their country. However, several impressionist artists went down in history as one of the most recognized painters of mankind.

characteristics

Painting techniques

Impressionist works were achieved through a series of particular techniques that did not always resemble those of other artistic styles.

What characterized most of the paintings of this art was the use of short but thick brushstrokes, through which they sought to capture the essence of the representation and not the details.

The colors in these works were applied side by side, trying not to mix them with one another. However, the lack of definition in the shapes makes the colors blend in the eyes of those who are appreciating the work.

Also, in impressionist painting it was customary to apply a second coat of paint before the first coat had dried. This made the edges much smoother (less defined), emphasizing the visual mix of colors.

Use of intense colors

Seeking to innovate in the artistic field, the impressionist painters abandoned traditional ideas and incorporated a series of colors much more intense than usual to their paint palettes.

They implemented these colors avoiding the so-called clarity of form, an element used by painters of the time to distinguish between the most important elements of a work and those that are not so relevant. In this way, the painting seemed more uniform and it was avoided to give visual preference to certain elements of the work.

This was one of the reasons why Impressionist painters were so openly criticized. The works were said to appear to be unfinished.

Real painting

Impressionist painting not only had particular characteristics in regards to the elaboration of the works. The ideas felt in each painting were different from those used to paint at that time.

The painting popularly emphasized the symmetrical and perfect features of the world, but the Impressionist painters decided to paint the world as they saw it themselves. For this reason, the works of this artistic style do not present completely perfect forms.

Part of the goal of the Impressionists was to capture a second of any moment that was represented in the work. That is, create an "impression" of some event.

Optical representations

The impressionist painters were based on the scientific thinking of the time, which ensured that what the eye perceives and what the brain interprets are two different things.

Impressionism was based purely on visual appreciation of the scenes. This was accomplished through the optical effects of light.

In fact, the lighting in these artistic works served to represent the changes of light that occur in the environment. This can refer both to the passing of the clouds and to the light effects that the leaves cause when they move.

Authors and outstanding works

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Renoir was one of the main exponents of French Impressionism. He revolutionized the world of painting using an incredibly extensive color palette, with which he painted thousands of works of families, women, children, flowers and fields. He worked alongside many other impressionists, among whom his friend Claude Monet stands out.

Among his most outstanding works are The Play, The Luncheon of the Rowers and the impressive Dance at the Moulin de la Galette, which stands out for its emphasis on lighting caused by the leaves of the trees.

Luncheon of the Rowers, by Renoir

Claude monet

Monet is considered the main leader of the Impressionist movement. In addition, he was one of the most prominent painters in France in the 19th century. Monet dedicated his entire life to the study of naturalism and the momentary effects of light in nature.

He stood out for having the ability to paint any type of work, but his most famous paintings are representations of landscapes, as they were his favorites to paint. Like Renoir, the beginning of her professional career was affected by the extreme poverty in which she lived.

His most famous works are Rouen Cathedral, Woman with a Parasol and Impression, which gave rise to the Impressionist movement in France.

Rouen Cathedral, by Monet

Edouard Manet

Manet is considered one of the most important pioneers of modern art. While his paintings were not always related to Impressionism (he was originally a realist), it was his later works that inspired Monet to develop the new style of art.

For this reason, many consider Manet as the main precursor of impressionism in France. Among his most outstanding impressionist works are Olympia, Lunch on the Grass and El Balcón.

Edgar degas

Degas was one of the founders of the Impressionist movement along with Monet and Renoir, but he always preferred to be associated with the Realist movement.

He is recognized mainly for his ability to paint figures and for making various works depicting dancers. In addition, Degas is considered one of those responsible for the transition to modern art in France.

His most important works are The Absinthe Drinkers, Ballet Rehearsal and The Ballet Class.

The Absinthe Drinkers, by Edgar Degas

References

1. Impressionism, The Art Story - Modern Art Insight, (nd). Taken from theartstory.com
2. Characteristics of Impressionist Painting, Visual Arts Encyclopedia, (nd). Taken from visual-arts-cork.com
3. Impressionism, Unknown Author, (nd). Taken from saylor.org
4. Impressionism, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2018. Taken from Britannica.com
5. Edgar Degas, Visual Arts Encyclopedia, (nd). Taken from visual-arts-cork.com
6. Edouard Manet, Visual Arts Encyclopedia, (nd). Taken from visual-arts-cork.com
7. Claude Monet, Visual Arts Encyclopedia, (nd). Taken from visual-arts-cork.com
8. Pierre-Auguste Rembrandt, Visual Arts Encyclopedia, (nd). Taken from visual-arts-cork.com