Famous Artists of Impressionism

Impressionism was a 19th century art movement that began as a group of Paris-based artists who began publicly exhibiting their art in the 1860’s. The name of the movement was derived from Claude Monet’s Impression, Sunrise(Impression, soleil levant). Critic Louis Leroy coined the term in a satiric review published in Le Charivari. Characteristics of impressionist paintings are visible light brushstrokes, light colors, open composition, emphasis on light and how it changes (often displaying the effects of the passage of time), ordinary subject matter, and unusual angles. The artists mostly painted outdoors and many were landscapes. Some of the most famous artists of the Impressionist movement were Edouard Manet, Camille Pissaro, Edgar Degas, Alfred Sisley, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot and Pierre Auguste Renoir.

Claude Monet’s famous boat studio
Claude Monet loved painting light and water and was interested in the subtle changes in atmosphere that would cast light and dark shadows. He mostly painted many gardens and landscapes, but later because of his love of boating, he used a small boat as a studio, where he floated up and down the river Seine while he painted. One of his paintings Le Bateau Atelier depicts his floating boat studio.

Edouard Manet scandalous nude portrait
Edouard Manet painted modern day life and every day objects. Manet originally learned to paint in the traditional style, but after meeting Claude Monet and the other “Impressionists”, became more spontaneous and bold. He used expressive outline, severe lighting contrasts, rich texture and deep color. He also painted many portraits, and was most famous for his nude portrait Olympia, which at the time was quite scandalous.

Edgar Degas skillful paintings of horses and plus size women
Edgar Degas’ skillful drawing, and perceptive analysis of movement made him one of the masters of progressive art in the late 19th century. Although he was considered as an impressionist, some of his work shows classical and realist styles, and other times romanticism. His favorite subjects were portraits of groups (most notably ballet dancers) and horses. In the late 1800’s, he painted many nudes of women (or what would be referred to today as voluptuous orplus size women), bathing or grooming themselves.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir loves boats and portraits
Pierre-Auguste Renoir worked closely with Monet during the 1860’s, and although they both painted boats, river resorts, scenes in Paris and nature, he was particularly attracted to painting people, and often painted friends and lovers. ‘Bal au Moulin de la Galette, Montmartre’ (Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette), an open-air scene of a popular dance garden on the Butte Montmartre is one of the most famous paintings of Pierre Auguste Renoir. It sold for 78.1 million dollars U.S. Other famous paintings were Girl With a Watering Can (1876) and Umbrellas (1883).

French impressionism
French impressionism influenced artists throughout the world, including Americans J. M. Whistler, Mary Cassatt, John Singer Sargent, Willard Metcalf, John Twactman, Child Hassam and Richard Earl Thompson.

The Lighthouses of Richard Earl Thompson
Richard Earl Thompson (1914-1991) was one of the artist that had continued this art form. A dedicated Impressionist, he devoted a lifetime of effort to capturing the quality of nature’s light on canvas. His works have a striking resemblance to that of Claude Monet, and include gardens, sailing, lighthousesand many more beautiful collectibles.