Slide 1 Impressionism

1. Impressionist movement was from 1865-1885

2. The movement started in France, and it was very controversial and the style
of impressionism was very unorthodox and unpresented.
3. Impressionism was about the fleeting moments captured in time and capture
of light and the use of color and movement.
4. Monets Impression Sunrise was one of the first impressionist paintings and
the name for this movement comes from this work. A cretic actually used the
term impression as an insult to his work but the impressionist ended up
taking it and liking the title. When the public saw this work they all thought it
was unfinished.
Slide 2 Prior Movements
Romanticism: A triumph of imagination and individuality. The subjects were
mainly historic, legends depicted in an over romanticized way. Raft of Medusa by
Jean Louis
Realism: was a celebration of the middleclass, and painters began en plein air
rustic painting, which is painting outside in open air (en plein air). Stone
Breakers by Courbet
The French Academy voted on and deiced what pieces would be presented to the
public, and hung in the Louvre. All impressionist painting were rejected by the
academy.
They liked historic, romanticized works that were done in classical ways.
Slide 3 Impressionist Subject matter
Whereas impressionists subject matter was more urban, daily life in the city, a
mere glimpse, snap shot of a scene. Usually depicting people, with lots of light,
and movement, also landscapes were a subject matter as well.
Dance at Le moulin de la Galette by Renoir
Slide 4 Key Elements to Impressionism

Light
Color
Movement (brush strokes, composition)

Slide 5 Light

Haystacks Monet
Observations: light, atmosphere and brushstrokes

Slide 6 Color

Woman, Cassatt
Observations: Use of color, contrasting colors, complementary colors

Slide 7 Movement

Ballerinas Degas
Observations: Movement throughout, very active dancers being capured, and
the brushstrokes give a sense of action

Slide 8 Color association

Impressionism was about light and color and how they together made a mood, or
feeling, that transported the viewer into the scene.
Examples:

Blue- cold, calm, soothing

Red- Hot, angry, passionate
Yellow- happy color, warm

Color association depends on culture. Red is seen as a hot, angry, passionate color
from the Western perspective, but from an Eastern perspective, (China) Red is a
happy, celebratory color. And yellow is a happy color here in Western culture but
yellow is seen as ominous and dangerous.
Slide 9 Examples

Van Gogh- The Night Caf

Warm colors
How does this painting make you feel? Sickly, uncomfortable, loud, quiet?

Slide 10 Examples

Van Gogh -Starry Night

Cool colors
How does this make you feel? Still, calm, cool?

Slide 11
There are many different styles during Impressionism. But they all shared those key
ingredients, light movement and color.