Impressionist More Art
Emerging in 19th-century France, Impressionist art embraced loose brushwork and plein-air painting to respond to the movement of daily life. Although the pioneers of the Impressionist movement — Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir — are now household names, their work was a radical break with an art scene led and shaped by academic traditions for around two centuries. These academies had oversight of a curriculum that emphasized formal drawing, painting and sculpting techniques and historical themes.
The French Impressionists were influenced by a group of artists known as the Barbizon School, who painted what they witnessed in nature. The rejection of pieces by these artists and the later Impressionists from the salons culminated in a watershed 1874 exhibition in Paris that was staged outside of the juried systems. After a work of Monet’s was derided by a critic as an unfinished “impression,” the term was taken as a celebration of their shared interest in capturing fleeting moments as subject matter, whether the shifting weather on rural landscapes or the frenzy of an urban crowd. Rather than the exacting realism of the academic tradition, Impressionist paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings represented how an artist saw a world in motion.
Many Impressionist painters were inspired by the perspectives in imported Japanese prints alongside these shifts in European painting — Édouard Manet drew on ukiyo-e woodblock prints and depicted Japanese design in his Portrait of Émile Zola, for example. American artists such as Mary Cassatt and William Merritt Chase, who studied abroad, were impacted by the work of the French artists, and by the late 19th century American Impressionism had its own distinct aesthetics with painters responding to the rapid modernization of cities through quickly created works that were vivid with color and light.
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Artist Comments
Artist Catherine McCargar captures the peaceful ambiance of a September morning in the countryside. She paints a view of Harmony, a tiny town along the central California coast just south of Cambria. The iconic farmhouse is enveloped by soft golden grasses and cool blue hills, imparting a tranquil feel to the scenic surroundings.
About the Artist
Impressionist Catherine McCargar expresses her deep admiration of nature through landscape paintings of Northern California...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Artist Sri Rao depicts a secluded farm away from the busy streets. A gravel road winds through the lush bushes and quaint farmhouses, g...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
"This artwork is inspired by a vista I saw while on a camping trip to the Allegany Mountains," says artist David Thelen. The verdant trees bask in the sun's w...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"I came across an old tractor parked in someone's yard and wanted to capture its current state with all of its dignity," shares artist David Thelen. The vehic...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Inspired by his plein air study, artist Andres Lopez paints a narrow stream filled with light and color. After a long walk through the forest, he came upon a cl...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"Thunder only happens when it's going to rain," says artist Valerie Berkely. The shoreline exudes a moody ambiance with its hues of purple and blue illuminate...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
1980s Impressionist More Art
Lithograph
1980s Impressionist More Art
Oil, Cardboard
Artist Comments
Artist Warren Keating draws inspiration from the pedestrian view below his hotel balcony in St. Germain. This piece encapsulates the moment and character of a...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
19th Century Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Carey Parks illustrates a woman walking along the streets of New York City. She bundles herself in a coat and scarf as she listens to music, unbothered...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Warren Keating exhibits a motion-filled painting of an aerial view of an orange umbrella in the rain. He draws inspiration from witnessing the scene f...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Catherine shares a peek into the beautiful autumnal woodlands of California, presenting her keen eye for color an...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Artist Carey Parks shares a striking viewpoint of a busy day at an urban crosswalk. She illustrates numerous people hurriedly cross...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Shela Goodman paints a silhouette of a man in his boat, floating peacefully on a bright still lake. With his motor engine up and rope in his hands, he ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Maurice Dionne paints a bridge on a bright day with people enjoying the sound of rushing water. "The pumphouse feeds water from Ottawa's canal system into a fast-moving white water course where the River Runners are located," shares Maurice. "During summer months, you can catch people enjoying white water kayaking...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
1990s Impressionist More Art
Oil, Cardboard
Artist Comments
Artist Shela Goodman presents a majestic scene with a golden glow reflecting on the lake's still water. The sun gently sets, crad...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Mitchell Freifeld takes the viewer on a road trip around the northwest, taking random turns in any direction on the oldest roads—no plans or destinat...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil, Board
Artist Comments
Artist Andres Lopez shares a view of two figures by the shade of the trees in loose painterly strokes. A simple moment of peace for two people who walk near the water. "It is almost like a dream...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist More Art
Masonite, Oil
1980s Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Late 19th Century Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil, Board
2010s Impressionist More Art
Oil, Cardboard
2010s Impressionist More Art
Oil, Cardboard
Early 20th Century Impressionist More Art
Ink, Pen
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
2010s Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Linen, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Linen, Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil, Panel, Wood Panel
1970s Impressionist More Art
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist More Art
Masonite, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil, Panel, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Early 20th Century Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
