Impressionism is a modern art movement that began in France in the late 1800s. It was the first modern art movement, and it paved the way for subsequent movements like Post-Impressionism.
The first impressionist exhibitions were held in 1874, and their name comes from Claude Monet’s painting Impression, Sunrise. The term “impressionism” was derived from this title.
Impressionists sought to capture the momentary effects of light on objects, often using a technique of applying paint quickly and thinly in order to create color and texture. They used light and color in new ways, seeking to show how they could be seen differently depending on the time of day or other factors.
They were influenced by J.M.W Turner’s work, which had been dismissed by critics as “merely” decorative but which they saw as an attempt to capture fleeting moments of light on nature; they sought to do the same thing with urban scenes or landscapes.
They were also influenced by Japanese prints, which showed them how colors could be used together without being blended into each other—a technique that became known as pointillism (paintings made up of dots).
