The term “impressionism” is derived from the title of a painting by Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise. This was an early work that helped to define the style and has been described as a “precursor” of impressionist painting.
Impressionism is characterized by short brush strokes, light colors, and an emphasis on capturing the momentary effects of light and color. The style was developed by a group of French painters who came to be known as the Impressionists. These artists rejected the traditional rules of painting, which they felt stifled creativity. Instead, they sought to capture the immediacy of the world around them. In particular, they were interested in capturing the effects of light—both natural and artificial—and often painted outdoors using light colors to capture fleeting effects of sunlight.
The style was met with skepticism and criticism from the art establishment but eventually gained acceptance after being exhibited at various shows throughout Europe during the late 19th century including one held in Paris in 1874 where it was called “Impressionist Exhibition.” Today, Impressionism is one of the most popular styles of painting and has been used to describe other styles such as music (e.g., impressionist music) or literature.
