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| the
impressionists |
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| "Impression,
sunrise" by Monet |
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| Impressionists is the name given to a group of artists who lived and painted in
Paris between 1860 and 1890. They include Renoir, Degas, Manet, Pissaro, and Monet –
who is perhaps the most famous Impressionist of all. At the time, artists were generally
considered great if they were able to achieve an illusion of reality – in other
words, if their paintings were a mirror image of their subject. Monet and his friends
shocked the art world with their innovative technique. They used sketchy brush strokes,
and bold, shimmering colours, to capture an impression of the scene before them –
hence the name Impressionism. Also, instead of depicting lofty historic, mythological or
religious subjects, the Impressionists painted scenes from everyday life in Paris –
the cafés and bars, the city streets and parks, the ballet, and what was even more
shocking to the contemporary art critic, scenes of Parisian nightlife, such as the dance
halls. It seems strange that the work of the Impressionists was so controversial at the
time, given the great popularity of their paintings today. |
| printable version image courtesy
of Mark Harden |
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