Impressionism

1.) How were realism and impressionism different?

There is a distinct difference between impressionism and realism. In Realism, Artists make the subjects of their painting very obvious as they put the main focus at the front of the painting and attempt to make it clear as to what they think is important. Since we focus on what grabs our visual attention, this makes realism very understandable to the common observer. On the other hand, when Impressionism first came into effect many people called it blurry, babyish and idiotic. However, it is not so much blurry as the subject of the painting is much harder to find. The viewer cannot just look at the painting and believe it is about a sailor, or a boat or a haystack. The observer must analyze the entire painting viewing every detail in order to try to grasp the intent of the artist. In the mind of the Impressionists this made it a better, fuller painting.



This is a classicism painting that happened prior to the industrial revolution. It is by Katorgin Vadim and it is called **"Odessa, Black Sea, Yachts"**



This is a painting by Claude Monet called //Impressionism: Sunrise//

Now Go back over the last two paintings and you will notice the major difference. In the painting, Odessa, Black Sea, Yachts the painting is very outright in showing you what is there out right. It doesn't mess around by putting in little nicks or mixing colors as much. You can easily tell that its about a series of boats in a bay. Where as in the Impressionism: Sunrise it has many different colors and while it looks blurry thats the point cause it brings out the most in the colors. 2.) How did the art differ under early Impressionism?

As shown above, when Impressionism came about, it was a total change in the art world at the time. Prior to this, almost every painting was made in one style. That was classicism which was a broad painting style where everything was just presented in a straight forward manner. The paintings would not be very complex and anyone could recognize that the painting was about a person or a place. In the new Impressionistic style of painting the viewer would have to spend a greater amount of time and thought to understand what was painted. In this new style, observers had to view small aspects of detail such as Pissarro’s blue and orange dots in the painting that made the subject as opposed to having the subject shown to them explicitly.

3.) What adversities did early artists face?

For the most part the Impressionists' work was refused exhibit space in the Salons. Many of the early artists and creators of Impressionism became very tired of this segregation as they believed their paintings more beautiful and more artistic than that of the realistic and classical paintings that many of the salons were displaying. Eventually several of these "Impressionists" such as Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Mary Cassatt formed a group called the Exhibition of the Refused. Their focus was to capture the true character of color as affected by light at different times of the day as they followed what they considered a scientific pursuit.



4.) Did Impressionism leave a lasting effect on society?

Impressionism left a major effect on society and its artwork is still seen throughout the world. There are many museums worldwide dedicated to showing impressionistic works of art including, The Louvre, Musee D'Orsay, The British Museum, The Smithsonian and many other well known famous museums. Not only did the Impressionist movement leave many great works of art behind it also diverged from the norm in the artistic world. Most pre-impressionism paintings were portraits or still-life paintings that typically had one focus and/or one meaning. Impressionism allowed artists to realize they were free to express themselves in a variety of artistic styles. This changed the world of art dramatically and many things people believed to be babyish or messy or blurry now became art.

Here is a piece in The Musee D'Orsay



5.) Are the ideas of Impressionism still applied today?

Many of the original ideas of the Impressionistic movement are still applied and used in the modern art world. Many Impressionistic paintings are known worldwide, such as "The Scream" by Edvard Munch and "Water Lilies" by Claude Monet. Both of these paintings are very famous in the modern world and have become great examples of the Impressionistic movement as how beautiful the colors are when they are mixed. The technique of mixing the color over several brush strokes are the prime examples that Impressionism was and is beautiful and allowed it to prosper and continue to be successful in the modern world.



6.) Who are major artists of the time?

They're many famous artists of the time of impressionism. For the most part the Impressionists' work was refused exhibit space at the Salons, so they formed a Salon des Refusés (Exhibition of the refused). Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Mary Cassatt, were founders of the group, and later become very famous artists. Most people have heard of Monet on some occasion and have seen just how amazing and how beautiful his paintings are such as the Water Lilies and the Haystack series. These artists pioneered Impressionism and are the main reason it was able to thrive in a non accepting art world. Other important Impressionist Artists include Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Georges Seurat, and Edouard Manet.



7.) Time line of major events

1859- Camille Pissarro and Eduoard Monet attended the Academie Suisse in Quai des Orfevres. Paul Cezanne goes to Aix-en-Provence to study drawing.

1861- Renoir meets Alfred Sisley. Cezanne meets Pissarro at Academie Suisse. Edgar Degas meets Edouard Manet.

1863 -Manet organizes an exhibition of his own works at Louis Martinet`s gallery in the boulevard des Italiens. Salon jury announces the selections that have been made. Although Corot and Renoir were chosen, all 3 Manet paintings were rejected.

1865- Manet, discouraged and angry destroys several of his works. Bazille and Monet decide to share a studio. 1866- Camille Pissarro moves to Pontoise. He continued to live there for many years and painted hundreds oh works depicting the beauty of the area. Camille Corot and his former pupil Pissarro have an argument and stop associating with each other.

1869

Salon accepts Manet,Pissarro,Renoir and Bazille. Monet and Cezanne are rejected.

1870- Manet fights a sword duel with art critic Edmont Duranty after an argument. Duranty was wounded in the chest. But the 2 made up the next day. This incident is legendary in Montmartre area. Renoir and Bazille are both enlisted to fight in the Franco Prussian war. Pissarro moves to Brittany;Monet moves to London.

Fredric Bazille before the war : "As for myself, I'm sure not to get killed, I have too many things to do in this life." He is killed in action.

1874

The First Impressionist Exhibition is held.

The term "Impressionism" is used for the first time.

1875- Manet attempts to illustrate Edgar Allen Poe's famous poem 'The Raven' and has it published. It was later described as: "a huge folio of lithographed sketches by a French idiot named Manet, who must be the greatest and most conceited ass who ever lived."

1879- Emile Zola, a critic well aquainted with the Impressionist group writes an article lampooning their ability and creativity.

Monet's wife suffers a painful death. Monet paints her during her last hours.

1880- The fifth Impressionist Exhibition is head. There are several disagreements;signs of a spilt in the Impressionist group. Cezanne, Monet, Renoir and Sisley refuse to participate.

1881- The sixth Impressionist exhibition is held.The discontent in the Impressionist group worsens. Many artists refuse to participate because of the sudden emphasis on Realism. Degas was a huge success at the exhibition. Some blamed him for the split in the group. He later resigns from the group.

1883- Several one-man exhibitions are held by artists such as Monet and Renoir. The first major Impressionist exhibition in America is held. The works of Manet, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir and Sisley are included but fail to attract any attention.

1890- A London Impressionist magazine "The Whirlwind" publishes it's first issue. Vincent Van Gogh dies from a self-inflicted bullet wound. 1895- Berthe Morisot dies of pneumonia at the age of 54. She bequeaths her paintings to Degas, Monet and Renoir. A large Monet exhibition is held at Durand-Ruel's gallery.

Degas becomes heavily interested in the art of photography.

1900-Renoir receives The Legion of Honor,an award that Monet rejected years earlier.

1902-Major Art critic Zola dies.

Renoir discovers 2 forgeries of his own works amongst Durand-Ruel's collection.

1903

Pissarro dies at the age of 73.

Georges Viau,a dentist and an art collector is accused of being involved with the forgery of Renoir's works.

1906- Cezanne dies at age 67.

1917- Degas dies due to a stroke at the age of 83.

1919- Renoir is promoted to Commander of the Legion of Honour Renoir dies of pneumonia.

1921- Durand-Ruel is awarded Legion of honor.He died a year later.

1926- Mary Cassat dies at the age of 82. Monet dies at the age of 86.

8. Bibliography

"Claude Monet." //Claude Monet//. Wikipedia. Web. 28 Nov. 2009. .

Digital image. //Camille Pissarro//. Web. 28 Nov. 2009. .

Digital image. //Edvard Munch: The Scream, c. 1893//. 16 Oct. 2007. Web. 28 Nov. 2009. .

Digital image. //Monet//. Web. 28 Nov. 2009. .

Digital image. //Monet-impression-sunrise//. Web. 28 Nov. 2009. .

Digital image. //Odessa, Black Sea, Yachts//. Web. 28 Nov. 2009. .

Digital image. //Pierre Auguste Renoir//. Web. 28 Nov. 2009. .

//Galegroup//. Web. 28 Nov. 2009. .

//Wikipedia//. Wikipedia. Web. 28 Nov. 2009. .