Impressionists in Art/Painters of Modern Life

Overview

In 1874 a group exhibition in Paris shocked the world. The paintings on display were not made in the studio but outdoors, and looked unfinished. One art critic used the derogatory term ‘impressions’ not knowing the effect of his statement. Today the impressionist paintings by Monet, Renoir, Degas and others enjoy an unmatched popularity. This Active Minds program will focus on the revolutionary aspects of Impressionism in the visual arts such as the new treatment of color and light and the shift from historical subject matter to aspects of modern life that have not lost their freshness and spontaneity. 

Summary

Historic Timeline:

  • 1839: Invention photography
  • 1841: Invention paint tube
  • 1863: Manet causes a scandal with his Luncheon on the Grass
  • 1874:Monet exhibits Impression Sunrise, Birth of Impressionism

Key Lecture Points:

Famous Invention
Renoir once said, “Without colors in tubes, there would be no Cézanne, no Monet, no Pissarro, and no Impressionism.” Made from tin and sealed with a screw cap, John G. Rand’s collapsible tube (patented 1841) allowed painters to go outdoors and paint what they saw rather than composing their works in the studio. The paint tube gave paint a long shelf life, didn’t leak and could be repeatedly opened and closed.

Rise of photography
Is it a coincidence that the rise of photography and the birth of modern art occur within the same period—essentially simultaneously? While the earliest photographers took pictures that were composed to look like paintings, the Impressionist painters were creating works that were less and less photographic. The use of the photograph as the new method of illustration in printed matter gradually freed artists to move farther and farther away from naturalism in their own work.

Modern life
While much has been written about the painting style of the Impressionists, the importance of their choice of subject matter is frequently overlooked. This group of artists more than anything else wished to portray modern life in France as they saw it. Many of their works depicted leisure activities. The Industrial Age had left many people with time to fill—a major change from the world of their ancestors.

Subject matter
Distinguishing between the works of the Impressionist painters can be difficult. Attention to each painter's preferred subject matter as well as the way in which each handled the media can help to distinguish between the different works. Degas, for instance, is known for his depictions of dancers, bathers, and racehorses, while Renoir's feathery touch is easily spotted in crowd scenes. 

Exploration Questions

  • Analyze the controversies associated with and contributions made by the Impressionist painters.
  • Why did the Impressionist painters focus on scenes of leisure and landscapes?

Reflective Questions

  • Do you like Impressionist paintings?  Why?  Why not? Which one is your favorite?
  • Do you see connections between late nineteenth century Paris and our time?

Impressionist Art Collections

  • Chicago Art Institute
  • Denver Art Museum
  • Impressionist Museum, Giverny, France
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
  • Monet House Museum, Giverny, France
  • Musée d’Orsay, Paris
  • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
  • Museum of Modern Art, New York
  • National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
  • Nelson Atkins Museum, Kansas City
  • Philadelphia Art Museum

More to Explore

Books for Further Reading

  • Clark, T.J. The Painting of Modern Life: Paris in the Art of Manet and his Followers. Princeton University Press, 1999.
    Click here to order
  • Groom, Gloria and Douglas Druick. The Age of French Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago Art Institute, 2010.
    Click here to order
  • Wildenstein, Daniel. Monet or the Triumph of Impressionism. Taschen, 2010.
    Click here to order