A Guide to Impressionism | The History and Characteristics

Beginning in the latter half of the 19th-century, Impressionism is one of the most popular artistic movements in Western history, known primarily for its innovative brush strokes and natural, quotidian themes.

The Impressionist movement was rooted in France and brought in a radical shift from the official style of the time, Neoclassicism.

Well into the first half 19th century, most French artists strictly adhered to Neoclassical themes and techniques to appeal to the Académie des Beaux-Arts (The French Academy of Fine Arts), a prestigious institution that held the annual Salon.

The Salon, located in Paris, was considered the official exhibition of the Western art world; artists from all over sought to gain recognition by having their work featured in it.

Certainly, the Académie des Beaux-Arts had full reign over who-was-who in the art world. They held the power to establish the formal style of painting: typically only accepting conservative, academic art rooted in tradition.

The Salon remained the most important art event in France for over two-hundred years. That is, until a group of progressive artists sought to break tradition with a new style of painting (hint: the Impressionists), the Parisian Salon began to lose some of its cachet…

Claude Monet. Les bords de la Seine au Petit-Gennevilliers. 1840-1926.

Here’s an excerpt from an earlier article, A Look Into: The Lunch, discussing the movement’s origins:

“The idea of Impressionism first formed in the 1860s when a group of young men came together to render the natural in a new way after completing their training in the standard Neoclassical style.

Frederic Bazille is quoted in Nathalia Brodskaya’s book, Impressionism, about this change of style saying, “Large-scale classical compositions are over. The spectacle of everyday life is more fascinating.” The budding Impressionists wanted to step away from seemingly trite, formal Neoclassical style they trained in and pave the way into modernity.

Once they had finished their formal training under the master painter Charles Gleyre: Monet, Bazille, Renoir, and Sisley, among others, excitedly discussed and argued their ideas for a new nature-centric artistic movement.

Thus, over a round table at cafe Closiers des Lilcas, the concept for Impressionism was born.”

Frédéric Bazill. The Little Gardener.1866-1867.

The early Impressionists bonded over their distaste of rigid Neoclassical art as well as their exclusion from the annual Salon for not complying with the official genre.

In opposition to the Salon, the Impressionists, still independent, decided to host their own exhibition under the name, Société Anonyme des Artistes Peintres, Sculpteurs, Graveurs, etc.

While the movement’s concept was thought up in the 1860’s, it wasn’t until this exhibition in 1874 that the style of paintings we know today as part of the collective movement, Impressionism, made its official debut.

The exhibition didn’t go over without a lot of controversy, though…

The reviews for this exhibition were largely negative at first. But out of the negativity came a positive: a name—that necessary factor for identifying a movement.

Indeed, thanks to one review from the critic, Louis Leroy, the iconic title, Impressionism, began to take root. Kelly Richman-Abdou addresses this review in an article for My Modern Met,

Claude Monet. Impression, Sunrise. 1872 (Photo: (Photo: Wikimedia Commons Public Domain)

“The exhibition saw mixed review[s] from critics, including journalist Louis Leroy. When analyzing Impression, Sunrise, he infamously wrote: “Impression—I was certain of it. I was just telling myself that, since I was impressed, there had to be some impression in it … and what freedom, what ease of workmanship! Wallpaper in its embryonic state is more finished than that seascape.”

Though clearly intended as an insult, his review actually helped the movement—it inadvertently (and ironically) gave it its well-known name.”

This show was the first of eight Impressionist exhibitions and lasted one month, closing at a loss with each artist having to pay their debt.

The characteristics of Impressionism were still too radical for most at the time. But while the critics and general public bashed the rough, unfinished look, writers and poets raved over the candid impressions of nature and everyday life.

So, what exactly are the characteristics that made Impressionism so controversial?

Impressionist style stands apart from other artistic styles largely due to the technique in which paint is applied to canvas.

Characteristically, the Impressionists opted for thick, staccato brushstrokes that are visible to the eye and create a depth of color and light.

In terms of palette, they favored neutral colors, occasionally featuring a brighter, more eye-catching color in small doses.

The Impressionists sought to capture their own transient glimpse, or impression, of the world around them. For this reason, they typically chose natural subject matter such as landscapes or people going about their lives (A Look Into: The Lunch).

Both the subject matter and technique of Impressionism differed greatly from Neoclassicism.

Neoclassical art focused on a revival of Greek and Roman mythology and was characterized by primary colors, dramatic lighting, a smooth finish, and symmetrical, clean lines. Indeed, the Neoclassical approach was grand and heroic in theme, making the Impressionists seem mundane and unkempt at first.

It wasn’t until the fourth Impressionist exhibition that the artists had amassed a significant following.

BUT by the eighth and final exhibition, the period of Impressionism was almost over; Post-Impressionism had already begun to take form.

Altogether, the Impressionist movement lasted a meager 20 years before the Post-Impressionists drew influence and reacted to it.

While it took some time for Impressionism to gain the favor of 19th-century society, and the movement itself lasted only a blink in the eye of History, today it’s recognized as one of the most innovative and well-liked movements in all of art history.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Le Moulin de la Galette. 1876.