Impressionism (from the French " impression" - impression) is a direction in art (literature, painting, architecture), it appeared at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries in France and quickly became widespread in other countries of the world. Followers of the new direction, who believed that academic, traditional techniques, for example, in painting or architecture, cannot fully convey the fullness and smallest details of the surrounding world, switched to using completely new techniques and methods, first of all in painting, then in literature and music. They made it possible to most vividly and naturally depict all the mobility and variability of the real world by conveying not its photographic appearance, but through the prism of the impressions and emotions of the authors about what they saw.
The author of the term “impressionism” is considered to be French critic and journalist Louis Leroy, who, impressed by his visit to the exhibition of a group of young artists “The Salon of the Rejected” in 1874 in Paris, calls them in his feuilleton impressionists, a kind of “impressionists”, and this statement is somewhat dismissive and ironic in nature. The basis for the name of this term was the painting by Claude Monet “Impression” seen by a critic. Rising sun" And although at first many of the paintings at this exhibition were subject to sharp criticism and rejection, later this direction received wider public recognition and became popular throughout the world.
Impressionism in painting
(Claude Monet "Boats on the Beach")
The new style, manner and technique of depiction were not invented by French impressionist artists out of nowhere; it was based on the experience and achievements of the most talented painters of the Renaissance: Rubens, Velazquez, El Greco, Goya. From them, the impressionists took such methods of more vividly and vividly conveying the surrounding world or expressiveness of weather conditions as the use of intermediate tones, the use of techniques of bright or, on the contrary, dull strokes, large or small, characterized by abstractness. Adherents of the new direction in painting either completely abandoned the traditional academic manner of drawing, or completely remade the methods and methods of depiction in their own way, introducing such innovations as:
- Objects, objects or figures were depicted without a contour, it was replaced by small and contrasting strokes;
- A palette was not used to mix colors; colors were selected that complement each other and do not require merging. Sometimes the paint was squeezed onto the canvas directly from a metal tube, creating a pure, sparkling color with a brushstroke effect;
- Virtual absence of black color;
- The canvases were mostly painted outdoors, from nature, in order to more vividly and expressively convey their emotions and impressions of what they saw;
- The use of paints with high covering power;
- Applying fresh strokes directly onto the still wet surface of the canvas;
- Creating Loops paintings in order to study changes in light and shadow (“Haystacks” by Claude Monet);
- Lack of depiction of pressing social, philosophical or religious issues, historical or significant events. The works of the Impressionists are filled positive emotions, there is no place for gloom and heavy thoughts, there is only lightness, joy and beauty of every moment, sincerity of feelings and frankness of emotions.
(Edouard Manet "Reading")
And although not all artists this direction adhered to particular precision in the execution of all the precise features of the impressionism style (Edouard Manet positioned himself as an individual artist and never participated in joint exhibitions (there were 8 in total from 1874 to 1886). Edgar Degas created only in his own workshop) this did not stop them from creating masterpieces fine arts, still stored in best museums, and private collections around the world.
Russian impressionist artists
Being impressed by creative ideas French impressionists, Russian artists at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century created their original masterpieces of fine art, later known as common name"Russian impressionism".
(V. A. Serov "Girl with Peaches")
Its most prominent representatives are considered to be Konstantin Korovin (“Portrait of a Chorus Girl”, 1883, “Northern Idyll” 1886), Valentin Serov (“ Open window. Lilac”, 1886, “Girl with Peaches”, 1887), Arkhip Kuindzhi (“North”, 1879, “Dnieper in the Morning” 1881), Abram Arkhipov (“North Sea”, “Landscape. Study with a Log House”) , “late” impressionist Igor Grabar (“Birch Alley”, 1940, “Winter Landscape”, 1954).
(Borisov-Musatov "Autumn Song")
The methods and manner of depiction inherent in impressionism took place in the works of such outstanding Russian artists as Borisov-Musatov, Bogdanov Belsky, Nilus. Classical canons French impressionism The paintings of Russian artists underwent some changes, as a result of which this direction acquired a unique national specificity.
Foreign impressionists
One of the first works executed in the style of impressionism is considered to be Edouard Manet’s painting “Lunch on the Grass,” which was exhibited to the public in 1860 at the Parisian “Salon of the Rejected,” where canvases that did not pass the selection of the Paris Salon of Arts could be dismantled. The painting, painted in a style that was radically different from the traditional manner of depiction, aroused a lot of critical comments and rallied followers of the new artistic movement around the artist.
(Edouard Manet "In the Tavern of Father Lathuile")
The most famous impressionist artists include Edouard Manet (“Bar at the Folies-Bergere”, “Music in the Tuileries”, “Breakfast on the Grass”, “At Father Lathuile’s”, “Argenteuil”), Claude Monet (“Field of Poppies at Argenteuil” ", "Walk to the Cliff in Pourville", "Women in the Garden", "Lady with an Umbrella", "Boulevard des Capucines", series of works "Water Lilies", "Impression. Rising Sun"), Alfred Sisley ("Rural Alley" , “Frost at Louveciennes”, “Bridge at Argenteuil”, “Early Snow at Louveciennes”, “Lawns in Spring”), Pierre Auguste Renoir (“Breakfast of the Rowers”, “Ball at the Moulin de la Galette”, “Dance in the Country”, “Umbrellas”, “Dance at Bougival”, “Girls at the Piano”), Camille Pizarro (“Boulevard Montmartre at Night”, “Harvest at Eragny”, “Reapers Resting”, “Garden at Pontoise”, “Entering the Village of Voisin”) , Edgar Degas (“Dance Class”, “Rehearsal”, “Concert at the Ambassador Café”, “Opera Orchestra”, “Dancers in Blue”, “Absinthe Lovers”), Georges Seurat (“Sunday Afternoon”, “Cancan”, "Models") and others.
(Paul Cezanne "Pierrot and Harlequin"")
Four artists in the 90s of the 19th century created a new direction in art based on impressionism and called themselves post-impressionists (Paul Gauguin, Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec). Their work is characterized by the transmission not of fleeting sensations and impressions from the world around them, but by the knowledge of the true essence of things, which is hidden under their outer shell. Most of them famous works: Paul Gauguin (“A Naughty Joke”, “La Orana Maria”, “Jacob’s Wrestling with an Angel”, “Yellow Christ”), Paul Cezanne (“Pierrot and Harlequin”, “Great Bathers”, “Lady in Blue”), Vincent Van Gogh ( Starry night", "Sunflowers", "Irises"), Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec ("The Laundress", "Toilet", "Dance Training at the Moulin Rouge").
Impressionism in sculpture
(Auguste Rodin "The Thinker")
Impressionism did not develop as a separate direction in architecture; one can find its individual features and characteristics in some sculptural compositions and monuments. Sculpture this style gives free plasticity to soft forms, they create an amazing play of light on the surface of the figures and give some feeling of incompleteness; sculptural characters are often depicted at the moment of movement. Works in this direction include sculptures by the famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin (“The Kiss”, “The Thinker”, “Poet and Muse”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Eternal Spring”), Italian artist and sculptor Medardo Rosso (figures made of clay and plaster filled with wax to achieve a unique lighting effect: “The Gatekeeper and the Mistress”, “The Golden Age”, “Motherhood”), Russian genius nugget Pavel Trubetskoy (bronze bust of Leo Tolstoy, monument Alexander III in St. Petersburg).
Impressionism is a movement in painting that originated in France in XIX-XX centuries, which is an artistic attempt to capture some moment of life in all its variability and mobility. Impressionist paintings are like a well-washed photograph, reviving in fantasy the continuation of the story seen. In this article we will look at the 10 most famous impressionists in the world. Fortunately, talented artists much more than ten, twenty or even a hundred, so let's focus on those names that you definitely need to know.
In order not to offend either the artists or their admirers, the list is given in Russian alphabetical order.
1. Alfred Sisley
This French painter of English origin is considered the most famous landscape painter second half of the 19th century century. His collection contains more than 900 paintings, of which the most famous are “Rural Alley”, “Frost in Louveciennes”, “Bridge in Argenteuil”, “Early Snow in Louveciennes”, “Lawns in Spring”, and many others.
2. Van Gogh
Known throughout the world for the sad story about his ear (by the way, he did not cut off his entire ear, but only the lobe), Van Gon became popular only after his death. And during his life he was able to sell one single painting, 4 months before his death. They say he was both an entrepreneur and a priest, but often ended up in psychiatric hospitals due to depression, so all the rebellion of his existence resulted in legendary works.
3. Camille Pissarro
Pissarro was born on the island of St. Thomas, into a family of bourgeois Jews, and was one of the few impressionists whose parents encouraged his passion and soon sent him to Paris to study. Most of all, the artist liked nature, which is what he depicted in all colors, and to be more precise, Pissarro had a special talent for selecting the softness of colors and compatibility, after which air seemed to appear in the paintings.
4. Claude Monet
Since childhood, the boy decided that he would become an artist, despite family prohibitions. Having moved to Paris on his own, Claude Monet plunged into the gray everyday life of a hard life: two years of service in the armed forces in Algeria, litigation with creditors due to poverty and illness. However, one gets the feeling that the difficulties did not oppress, but, on the contrary, inspired the artist to create such vivid paintings as “Impression, Sunrise”, “Houses of Parliament in London”, “Bridge to Europe”, “Autumn in Argenteuil”, “On the Shore” Trouville", and many others.
5. Konstantin Korovin
It's nice to know that among the French, the parents of impressionism, we can proudly place our compatriot, Konstantin Korovin. A passionate love for nature helped him intuitively give unimaginable liveliness to a static picture, thanks to the connection suitable colors, width of strokes, choice of theme. It is impossible to pass by his paintings “Pier in Gurzuf”, “Fish, Wine and Fruit”, “ Autumn landscape», « moonlit night. Winter" and a series of his works dedicated to Paris.
6. Paul Gauguin
Until the age of 26, Paul Gauguin did not even think about painting. He was an entrepreneur and had big family. However, when I first saw the paintings of Camille Pissarro, I decided that I would definitely start painting. Over time, the artist’s style changed, but the most famous impressionistic paintings are “Garden in the Snow”, “At the Cliff”, “On the Beach in Dieppe”, “Nude”, “Palm Trees in Martinique” and others.
7. Paul Cezanne
Cezanne, unlike most of his colleagues, became famous during his lifetime. He managed to organize his own exhibition and earn considerable income from it. People knew a lot about his paintings - he, like no one else, learned to combine the play of light and shadow, placed a strong emphasis on regular and irregular geometric shapes, the severity of the theme of his paintings was in harmony with romance.
8. Pierre Auguste Renoir
Until the age of 20, Renoir worked as a fan decorator for his older brother, and only then moved to Paris, where he met Monet, Basil and Sisley. This acquaintance helped him in the future to take the path of impressionism and become famous on it. Renoir is known as the author of sentimental portraits, among his most outstanding works are “On the Terrace”, “A Walk”, “Portrait of the Actress Jeanne Samary”, “The Lodge”, “Alfred Sisley and His Wife”, “On the Swing”, “Splash Pool” and many others.
9. Edgar Degas
If you haven't heard of Blue Dancers, Ballet Rehearsal, Ballet school" and "Absinthe" - hurry up to learn about the work of Edgar Degas. The selection of original colors, unique themes for paintings, a sense of movement of the picture - all this and much more made Degas one of the most famous artists peace.
10. Edouard Manet
Don't confuse Manet with Monet - they are two different people, who worked at the same time and in the same artistic direction. Manet was always attracted to scenes of everyday life, unusual appearance and types, as if accidentally “caught” moments, subsequently captured for centuries. Among Manet’s famous paintings: “Olympia”, “Luncheon on the Grass”, “Bar at the Folies Bergere”, “The Flutist”, “Nana” and others.
If you have even the slightest opportunity to see the paintings of these masters live, you will forever fall in love with impressionism!
Today, impressionism is perceived as a classic, but in the era of its formation it was a real revolutionary breakthrough in art. Innovation and ideas in this direction have completely changed artistic perception art of the 19th and 20th centuries. And modern impressionism in painting inherits principles that have already become canonical and continues aesthetic searches in the transmission of sensations, emotions and light.
Prerequisites
There are several reasons for the emergence of impressionism; it is a whole complex of prerequisites that led to a real revolution in art. In the 19th century, a crisis was brewing in French painting; it was due to the fact that “official” criticism did not want to notice and allow various emerging new forms into galleries. Therefore, painting in impressionism became a kind of protest against the inertia and conservatism of generally accepted norms. Also, the origins of this movement should be sought in the trends inherent in the Renaissance and associated with attempts to convey living reality. Artists Venetian school are considered the first progenitors of impressionism, then the Spaniards took this path: El Greco, Goya, Velazquez, who directly influenced Manet and Renoir. Technological progress also played a role in the formation of this school. Thus, the appearance of photography gave rise to new idea in art it’s about capturing momentary emotions and sensations. It is this instantaneous impression that the artists of the movement we are considering strive to “capture.” The development of the plein air school, which was founded by representatives of the Barbizon school, also had an influence on this trend.
History of impressionism
In the second half of the 19th century in French art a critical situation is developing. Representatives classical school they do not accept the innovations of young artists and do not allow them to attend the Salon - the only exhibition that opens the way to customers. A scandal erupted when the young Edouard Manet presented his work “Luncheon on the Grass.” The painting aroused the indignation of critics and the public, and the artist was forbidden to exhibit it. Therefore, Manet participates in the so-called “Salon of the Rejected” along with other painters who were not allowed to participate in the exhibition. The work received a huge response, and a circle of young artists began to form around Manet. They gathered in a cafe and discussed problems contemporary art, argued about new forms. A society of painters appears who will be called impressionists after one of Claude Monet’s works. This community included Pissarro, Renoir, Cezanne, Monet, Basil, Degas. The first exhibition of artists of this movement took place in 1874 in Paris and ended, like all subsequent ones, in failure. Actually, impressionism in music and painting covers a period of only 12 years, from the first exhibition to the last, held in 1886. Later direction begins to disintegrate into new movements, some artists die. But this period brought about a real revolution in the minds of creators and the public.
Ideological principles
Unlike many other movements, painting in impressionism was not associated with deep philosophical views. The ideology of this school was momentary experience, impression. The artists did not set themselves social goals; they sought to convey the fullness and joy of life in everyday life. That's why genre system Impressionism was generally very traditional: landscapes, portraits, still lifes. This direction is not a unification of people based on philosophical views, but a community of like-minded people, each of whom conducts his own quest to study the form of being. Impressionism lies precisely in the uniqueness of the view of ordinary objects; it is focused on individual experience.
Technique
It is quite easy to recognize painting in impressionism by some characteristic features. First of all, it is worth remembering that the artists of this movement were ardent lovers of color. They almost completely abandon black and brown in favor of a rich, bright palette, often heavily bleached. The Impressionist technique is characterized by short strokes. They strive for a general impression rather than careful drawing of details. The canvases are dynamic and intermittent, which corresponds to human perception. Painters strive to place colors on the canvas in such a way as to achieve coloristic intensity or proximity in the picture; they do not mix colors on the palette. Artists often worked plein air, and this was reflected in the technique, which did not have time to dry the previous layers. The paints were applied side by side or one on top of the other, and an opaque material was used, which made it possible to create the effect of an “inner glow.”
Main representatives in French painting
The birthplace of this movement is France; it was here that impressionism first appeared in painting. Artists of this school lived in Paris in the second half of the 19th century. They presented their works at 8 Impressionist exhibitions, and these paintings became classics of the movement. It is the Frenchmen Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Pissarro, Morisot and others who are the progenitors of the movement we are considering. The most famous impressionist, of course, is Claude Monet, whose works fully embodied all the features of this movement. Also, the movement is rightly associated with the name of Auguste Renoir, who considered his main artistic task to convey the play of the sun; in addition, he was a master of sentimental portraiture. Impressionism also includes such outstanding artists like Van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin.
Impressionism in other countries
Gradually the direction is spreading in many countries, the French experience has been successfully picked up in others national cultures, although they have to talk more about individual works and techniques than about the consistent implementation of ideas. German painting in impressionism is represented primarily by the names of Lesser Ury, Max Liebermann, Lovis Corinth. In the USA, ideas were implemented by J. Whistler, in Spain - by H. Sorolla, in England - by J. Sargent, in Sweden - by A. Zorn.
Impressionism in Russia
Russian art in the 19th century experienced significant influence French culture, therefore domestic artists It was also not possible to avoid being carried away by the new trend. Russian impressionism in painting is most consistently and fruitfully represented in the works of Konstantin Korovin, as well as in the works of Igor Grabar, Isaac Levitan, Valentin Serov. The peculiarities of the Russian school were the etude nature of the works.
What was impressionism in painting? The founding artists sought to capture momentary impressions of contact with nature, and Russian creators also tried to convey a deeper, philosophical meaning works.
Impressionism today
Despite the fact that almost 150 years have passed since the emergence of the movement, modern impressionism in painting has not lost its relevance today. Thanks to their emotionality and ease of perception, paintings in this style are very popular and even commercially successful. Therefore, many artists around the world are working in this direction. Thus, Russian impressionism in painting is presented in the new Moscow museum of the same name. Exhibitions of contemporary authors, for example V. Koshlyakov, N. Bondarenko, B. Gladchenko and others, are regularly held there.
Masterpieces
Modern lovers of fine art often call impressionism in painting their favorite movement. Paintings by artists of this school are sold at auctions at incredible prices, and collections in museums enjoy great public attention. The main masterpieces of impressionism are considered to be the paintings by C. Monet “Water Lilies” and “The Rising Sun”, O. Renoir “Ball at the Moulin de la Galette”, C. Pissarro “Boulevard Montmartre at Night” and “Boildier Bridge in Rouen on a Rainy Day”, E. . Degas "Absinthe", although this list can be continued almost endlessly.
One of the largest movements in art last decades The nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth is impressionism, which spread throughout the world from France. Its representatives were engaged in the development of such methods and techniques of painting that would make it possible to most vividly and naturally reflect real world in dynamics, to convey fleeting impressions of him.
Many artists created their canvases in the style of impressionism, but the founders of the movement were Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Edgar Degas, Frederic Basil, Camille Pissarro. It is impossible to name their best works, since they are all beautiful, but there are the most famous ones, and they will be discussed further.
Claude Monet: “Impression. Rising Sun"
The canvas with which you should start a conversation about the best paintings of the Impressionists. Claude Monet painted it in 1872 from life in the old port of Le Havre, France. Two years later, the painting was first shown to the public in the former studio of the French artist and caricaturist Nadar. This exhibition became fateful for the art world. Impressed (not at all) in the best sense) by Monet, whose title in the original language sounds like “Impression, soleil levant,” journalist Louis Leroy first coined the term “impressionism,” denoting a new direction in painting.
The painting was stolen in 1985 along with works by O. Renoir and B. Morisot. It was discovered five years later. Currently “Impression. The Rising Sun" belongs to the Marmottan-Monet Museum in Paris.
Edouard Monet: "Olympia"
The painting "Olympia", created by the French impressionist Edouard Manet in 1863, is one of the masterpieces of modern painting. It was first presented at the Paris Salon in 1865. Impressionist artists and their paintings often found themselves in the center high-profile scandals. However, Olympia caused the largest of them in the history of art.
On the canvas we see a naked woman, her face and body facing the audience. The second character is a dark-skinned maid holding a luxurious bouquet wrapped in paper. At the foot of the bed there is a black kitten in a characteristic pose with an arched back. Not much is known about the history of the painting; only two sketches have reached us. The model was most likely Manet's favorite model, Quiz Meunard. There is an opinion that the artist used the image of Marguerite Bellanger, Napoleon's mistress.
During the period of creativity when Olympia was created, Manet was fascinated Japanese art, and therefore deliberately refused to work out the nuances of dark and light. Because of this, his contemporaries did not see the volume of the depicted figure and considered it flat and rough. The artist was accused of immorality and vulgarity. Never before have Impressionist paintings caused such excitement and mockery from the crowd. The administration was forced to place guards around her. Degas compared Manet's fame through Olympia and the courage with which he accepted criticism to the life story of Garibaldi.
For almost a quarter of a century after the exhibition, the canvas was kept out of reach of prying eyes by the artist’s studio. Then it was exhibited again in Paris in 1889. It was almost bought, but the artist’s friends collected the required amount and bought “Olympia” from Manet’s widow, and then donated it to the state. Now the painting belongs to the Orsay Museum in Paris.
Auguste Renoir: "Great Bathers"
The picture is painted French artist in 1884-1887 Taking into account all the currently known Impressionist paintings between 1863 and the beginning of the twentieth century, " Big bathers"is called the largest canvas with naked female figures. Renoir worked on it for more than three years, and during this period many sketches and sketches were created. There was no other painting in his work that he devoted so much time to.
In the foreground, the viewer sees three naked women, two of whom are on the shore, and the third is standing in the water. The figures are painted very realistically and clearly, which is characteristic feature artist's style. Renoir's models were Alina Charigo (his future wife) and Suzanne Valadon, who in the future herself became a famous artist.
Edgar Degas: "Blue Dancers"
Not all famous Impressionist paintings listed in the article were painted in oil on canvas. The photo above allows you to understand what the painting “Blue Dancers” represents. It was made in pastels on a paper sheet measuring 65x65 cm and belongs to late period creativity of the artist (1897). He painted it with already impaired vision, so paramount importance is attached to decorative organization: the image is perceived as large spots of color, especially when viewed close up. The theme of dancers was close to Degas. It was repeated many times in his work. Many critics believe that due to the harmony of color and composition, The Blue Dancers can be considered best job artist on this topic. Currently, the painting is kept in the Museum of Art. A. S. Pushkin in Moscow.
Frédéric Bazille: "Pink Dress"
One of the founders of French impressionism, Frédéric Bazille, was born into a bourgeois family of a wealthy winemaker. While still studying at the Lyceum, he began to become interested in painting. Having moved to Paris, he made acquaintance with C. Monet and O. Renoir. Unfortunately, the artist was destined for a short life path. He died at the age of 28 at the front during the Franco-Prussian War. However, his paintings, albeit few in number, are rightfully included in the list of “ Best paintings Impressionists." One of them is “ Pink dress", written in 1864. By all indications, the canvas can be attributed to early impressionism: coloristic contrasts, attention to color, sunlight and a stopped moment, the very thing that was called “impression”. One of the artist’s cousins, Teresa de Hors, acted as a model. The painting currently belongs to the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
Camille Pissarro: “Boulevard Montmartre. Afternoon, sunny"
Camille Pissarro became famous thanks to his landscapes, characteristic feature which is the drawing of light and illuminated objects. His works had a significant influence on the genre of impressionism. The artist independently developed many of his inherent principles, which formed the basis for his future creativity.
Pissarro loved to write the same passage in different times days. He has a whole series of canvases with Parisian boulevards and streets. The most famous of them is “Boulevard Montmartre” (1897). It reflects all the charm that the artist sees in the seething and restless life of this corner of Paris. Viewing the boulevard from the same place, he shows it to the viewer on a sunny and cloudy day, in the morning, afternoon and late evening. The photo below shows the painting “Montmartre Boulevard at Night”.
This style was subsequently adopted by many artists. We will only mention which Impressionist paintings were written under the influence of Pissarro. This trend is clearly visible in Monet’s work (the “Haystacks” series of paintings).
Alfred Sisley: "Lawns in Spring"
“Lawns in Spring” is one of the latest paintings by landscape painter Alfred Sisley, painted in 1880-1881. In it, the viewer sees a forest path along the banks of the Seine with a village on the opposite bank. In the foreground is a girl - the artist's daughter Jeanne Sisley.
The artist’s landscapes convey the authentic atmosphere of the historical region of Ile-de-France and retain a special softness and transparency natural phenomena, characteristic of specific times of the year. The artist was never a supporter of unusual effects and adhered to a simple composition and a limited palette of colors. The painting is now kept in the National Gallery in London.
We have listed the most famous Impressionist paintings (with names and descriptions). These are masterpieces of world painting. The unique style of painting, which originated in France, was initially perceived with ridicule and irony; critics emphasized the outright carelessness of the artists in painting their canvases. Now hardly anyone dares to challenge their genius. Impressionist paintings are exhibited in the most prestigious museums in the world and are a coveted exhibit for any private collection.
The style has not sunk into oblivion and has many followers. Our compatriot Andrei Koch, French painter Laurent Parselier, Americans Diana Leonard and Karen Tarleton are famous modern impressionists. Their paintings are made in the best traditions of the genre, filled bright colors, bold strokes and life. In the photo above is the work of Laurent Parselier “In the Rays of the Sun”.
It is believed that art has no boundaries. Nevertheless, people have decided to divide the works of artists into genres, which can be quite easy to get confused, because the boundaries of styles are arbitrary. Today we will talk about one of the main trends in painting - impressionism.
The emergence of impressionism
Impressionism as an art genre originated in France in the 1870s. The origin of this style was the creation of the painting by C. Monet “Impression. Sunrise” (1872). One journalist called the artist an impressionist, but with a negative meaning. But this was soon forgotten, and the picture gave birth to a new genre.
In 1874, impressionist artists held their first separate exhibition. The paintings exhibited there were criticized for their lack of meaning, looseness and poor depiction. However, the artists did not stop and continued to organize such events, declaring their art.
Impressionism was a purely French phenomenon. Artists from other countries were able to adopt some features, but not to the fullest extent.
It was the impressionists who were the first to move away from generally accepted standards and templates of academic writing, thereby giving a huge impetus to the development artistic arts. They deeply researched colors and new writing techniques, which ultimately led us to the diversity we have today.
It should be noted that impressionism had a serious influence and inspired with its novelty representatives of other fields of art: sculpture, music and literature.
What do impressionist paintings tell us?
Impressionism focuses on the image and the impression it gives to the viewer. Impressionist paintings most often depict ordinary scenes from life: city bustle or landscapes. Their works give viewers those fleeting impressions that the painters themselves experienced. Impressionism does not notice problems or negativity, it shows exclusively positive aspects life.
Mostly in the paintings you can see such scenes as picnics, boating, dancing, tea parties, outdoor fun and other joys of life. Impressionists most often depicted people in paintings not frozen, but moving, playing, laughing. The paintings allow us to plunge into the living reality of past centuries, to see what kind of environment surrounded people XIX century.
Features of impressionist paintings
The talent of reflecting an instant first impression on a canvas is main feature all artists. They always created from life, without any sketches, capturing and conveying the general mood. Impressionist paintings do not carry deep meaning or hidden content; they depict everyday life, but they do it not simply, but masterfully. When looking at such paintings, the viewer immediately has a certain thought or emotion that remains for some time after viewing.
The impressionists developed a special style of writing. The paintings they painted are most often distinguished by fuzzy lines and individual strokes. The fact is that they conveyed all the colors with a standard set of paints, skillfully placing strokes. Much attention in their works they paid attention to the play of light and shadows, trying to create contrast. Indicative in this regard is the painting by O. Renoir “The Ball at the Moulin de la Galette” (1876).
Great Impressionists of the Past
Since the creation of the movement, there have been many artists who have worked in the style of impressionism, but very few can be called truly great. Thus, the most famous impressionist artists are C. Monet, O. Renoir, A. Sisley and C. Pissarro. In general, impressionism as a movement was especially popular in late XIX centuries, it was then that true masters created.
This served as the beginning and inspiration for other equally famous artists - V. van Gogh, P. Cezanne, P. Gauguin. These artists became the founders of post-impressionism, which made its goal the rejection of image real life, transition to the image of its basics.
Modern Impressionists
Do not think that the direction ceased to exist after its heyday. There are still artists who choose impressionism for their work.
The paintings of modern impressionists evoke no less admiration than the paintings of the past. Today, many masters create in this genre, but time will tell which of them is most worthy of this title. However, there are several artists whose paintings are positioned as impressionist paintings. Photos of their work are presented below.
Take, for example, an artist named Kent R. Wallis. His canvases are distinguished by bright, rich colors, with the help of which he creates magnificent landscapes.
Also fascinating are the paintings of the artist I.J. Paprocki (E.J. Paprocki).
His canvases feature flowers, leaves and other small elements are done very realistically, while the rest of the background is done with brush strokes. This allows him to convey the beauty of detail and at the same time the general first impressions characteristic of impressionism.