Impressionist Art 1860-1900

What is Impressionism? Style of painting that began in Paris during the mid 1800s. Unlike artists before them they painted most paintings outdoors and liked to portray natural objects like trees, fields, and oceans. Painters would often take materials outdoor and paint what they saw.

Painting people When impressionists painted people they made them look like people you would see everyday. Rather than painting religious figures or royalty, they would often use their own family and friends as subjects in their paintings.

The meaning of “Impressionism” It was called impressionism because artists were not as exact about painting a realistic picture. They used many short brush strokes, applying paint thickly, to create an idea, or impression of a subject. Because of these short strokes, if you stand closely to an impressionist painting they will look like a bunch of paint blobs. When you back away, you can see the whole picture.

Van Gogh’s “Starry Night Over Rhone” Vincent van Gogh is a good example of this technique. The paint on his canvases is often so thick it looks 3D. Look at this painting, Starry Night Over the Rhone, and notice the short brush strokes. Also, the painting is so thick that you can see the shadows from the paint.

A New Style of Art Before Impressionism Impressionism Painters placed main subject in center. Background not important. Painted religious figures or royalty. Interested in painting figures to make them look realistic. Painters put emphasis on the scene than the person or subject. Painted the main subject off to the side rather than in the center. Painted everyday people doing normal activities. Interested in painting an impression of a figure.

Study of light and impressionism The way the light changed the shadows and colors of subjects was of much interest to impressionist painters. Claude Monet often painted in series, making many pictures of he same subject at different times throughout the day and seasons to see how the lighting affected his paintings.

Famous Impressionist Artists Claude Monet Mary Cassatt

Mary Cassatt Born in 1844 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “The Child’s Bath” 1893 Born in 1844 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is the most recognized female painter in Impressionist style art. Enjoyed painting images of women with an emphasis on the bond between mothers and children.