Impressionist Art
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Impressionist Art,
The impressionist style is characterized by its emphasis upon the
impression of a scene or an object. Furthermore, the use of
primary colors and small quick brushstrokes are used to convey a
sense of actual reflected light. Developed chiefly in France in
the late 19th and early 20th centuries,
the dominating aspect of Impressionism was the attempt to
objectively and truthfully record a visual reality that is
reflective of the ever changing effects of both light and color.
Traditionally academic artists used rich deep colors, and dark
shadows while their subjects tended to be biblical, theatrical,
and/or monumental. Also, their figures were often larger than
life and set against a natural but idealized backdrop; whatever
best suited the purpose of the drama upon the canvas. Usually
the artists who were recognized at the salon were academically
and thus classically trained; a large part of this training was
naturally technique. A major tenant of that particular style
had to do with creating a smooth, carefully finished surface so
that none of the brushstrokes would be visible. This was done
to create the illusion of a real scene beyond the frame of the
painting.
When the Impressionists submitted works to the jury of the Salon they
were often rejected. Their paintings broke with the traditions
of the academy, which meant that the impressionists were not
recognized or offered commissions because of their exclusion
from the Salon. The loose brushwork and bold colors used by the
Impressionists seemed insultingly unfinished to the Salon jury.
Frustrated with the narrow view that the Salon and the academy imposed upon
art, the Impressionists purposefully did not adhere to the
conventional structures. They intentionally chose themes from
their everyday lives and they chose to frame their subjects in
ways that were shocking to the art world. They did so with bold
bright colors that they often blended upon the canvas itself,
and quick spontaneous brushstrokes were used in order to convey
a sense of immediacy, to capture the moment.
Disappointed with their reception, or lack thereof, from the academy, the
impressionists chose other forums in which to display their
art. Thus, in 1874 a group of artists joined together and
championed their own exhibit in response to the Salon: the Salon des Refuses, or the "Salon of Trash." Berthe Morisot,
Paul Cezanne, Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, Claude Monet, Pierre
August Renoir, and Edgar Degas were all a part of this original
group. Although the exhibit itself was not a success, it was
the first independent group show of Impressionist art. The
exhibition did, however, catch the attention of a few art
dealers and private investors that would become important
friends. For it were those dealers and investors who bought
impressionist works when others would not, and they promoted
Impressionist works in Paris and abroad.
While all of the Impressionists came from diverse backgrounds, they all felt
the need to convey a sense of the modern world with their
paintings, and in doing so create a new way to look at the world
and art. This modern view was in step with a changing world, and
that is why the great works of art produced by the
Impressionists still have relevance today.
Margaret McGuire, 2004
