European art of the late 19th century was enriched by the emergence of a modernist trend in painting. Later, his influence spread to music and literature. It was called "impressionism", because it was based on the artist’s subtlest impressions, images and moods.
Origins and history of occurrence
Several young artists in the second half of the 19th century joined in a group. They had a common goal and interests coincided. The main thing for this company was working in nature, without the walls of a workshop and various constraints. In their paintings, they sought to convey all the sensuality, the impression of the play of light and shadow. Landscapes and portraits reflected the unity of the soul with the Universe, with the surrounding world. Their paintings are genuine poetry of colors.
In 1874, an exhibition of this group of artists was held. Landscape by Claude Monet “Impression. Sunrise ”was stopped by the critic, who in his review first called these creators impressionists (from the French impression -“ impression ”).
The prerequisites for the birth of the Impressionism style, whose paintings will soon be incredibly successful, were the works of the Renaissance. The creativity of the Spaniards Velazquez, El Greco, the English Turner, Constable unconditionally influenced the French, who were the founders of impressionism.
Bright representatives of the style in France were Pissarro, Mans, Degas, Sisley, Cézan, Monet, Renoir and others.
The philosophy of impressionism in painting
Artists who wrote in this style did not set themselves the task of drawing public attention to social problems and troubles. In their works, one cannot find plots on the topic of the day, one cannot get moralizing or notice human contradictions.
Impressionism-style paintings are aimed at conveying a momentary mood, developing color solutions of a mysterious nature. There is only a positive beginning in the works, gloominess bypassed the Impressionists side.
In fact, the impressionists did not bother to think through the plot and details. The main factor was not what to draw, but how to portray and convey your mood.
Painting Technique
The colossal difference between the academic style of drawing and the technique of impressionists. They simply refused many methods, some changed beyond recognition. Here are the innovations they made:
- Abandoned the circuit. It was replaced by smears - small and contrasting.
- They stopped using palettes for mixing paints. Colors were selected that complement each other and do not require merging to obtain a certain effect. For example, yellow is purple.
- Stop painting in black.
- Completely refused to work in workshops. They wrote exclusively in kind, so that it was easier to capture the moment, image, feeling.
- Only paints having good hiding power were used.
- They did not wait for the new layer to dry. Fresh strokes were applied immediately.
- Cycles of works were created to track changes in light and shadow. For example, “Haystacks” by Claude Monet.
Of course, not all artists performed exactly the impressionism style features. The paintings of Edouard Manet, for example, never participated in joint exhibitions, and he positioned himself as a freestanding artist. Edgar Degas worked only in workshops, but this did not harm the quality of his works.
Representatives of French Impressionism
The first exhibition of the Impressionist works dates from 1874. After 12 years, their last exposure took place. The first work in this style can be called "Breakfast on the Grass" by E. Manet. This picture was presented in the Salon of the Outcast. She was greeted unfriendly because she was very different from the academic canons. That is why Manet becomes a figure around which a circle of followers of this stylistic direction is going.
Unfortunately, contemporaries did not appreciate such a style as impressionism. Pictures and artists existed in disagreement with official art.
Gradually, Claude Monet came to the fore in the team of painters, who would later become their leader and chief ideologist of impressionism.
Claude Monet (1840-1926)
The creativity of this artist can be described as a hymn of impressionism. It was he who first refused to use black in his paintings, citing the fact that even shadows and nights have different tones.
The world in Monet's paintings is vague outlines, lengthy strokes, looking at which you can feel the whole spectrum of the game, the colors of day and night, seasons, harmony of the moon world. Only the moment that was snatched from the life stream, in Monet's understanding, is impressionism. His paintings seem to have no materiality, they are all saturated with rays of light and air currents.
Claude Monet created amazing works: “Station Saint-Lazare”, “Rouen Cathedral”, the cycle “Charing Cross Bridge” and many others.
Auguste Renoir (1841-1919)
Renoir's creations give the impression of extraordinary lightness, airiness, ethereality. The plot was born as if by accident, but it is known that the artist carefully thought through all the stages of his work and worked from morning to night.
A distinctive feature of the work of O. Renoir is the use of glazing, which is possible only when writing oil paintings. Impressionism in the artist’s works is shown in every stroke. A person is perceived by him as a particle of nature itself, therefore, so many paintings with nudity.
Renoir's favorite pastime was portraying a woman in all her attractive and attractive beauty. Portraits occupy a special place in the creative life of the artist. "Umbrellas", "Girl with a Fan", "Breakfast of Rowers" - only a small part of the amazing collection of paintings by Auguste Renoir.
Georges Cera (1859-1891)
The process of creating paintings Sulfur associated with the scientific substantiation of color theory. A light-air environment was drawn on the basis of the dependence of the primary and secondary tones.
Despite the fact that J. Sera is the representative of the final stage of impressionism, and his technique is in many ways different from the founders, he also creates with the help of strokes an illusory representation of the object form, which can be seen and seen only at a distance.
Masterpieces of creativity can be called paintings "Sunday", "Kankan", "Model".
Representatives of Russian impressionism
Russian impressionism arose almost spontaneously, mixed many phenomena and methods. However, the basis, like that of the French, was a natural vision of the process.
Although Russian features were preserved in Russian impressionism, the features of the national nature and state of mind made significant changes. For example, a vision of snow or northern landscapes was expressed using unusual techniques.
In Russia, few artists worked in the style of impressionism, their paintings attract the eye to this day.
The impressionistic period can be distinguished in the work of Valentin Serov. His “Girl with Peaches” is the clearest example and standard of this style in Russia.
Pictures of Konstantin Korovin conquer with their freshness and harmony of pure colors. The main theme of the work of this artist is the image of man in nature. “Northern Idyll”, “In the Boat”, “Fedor Chaliapin” are the bright milestones of the activities of K. Korovin.
Impressionism in modern times
Currently, this direction in art has received a new life. In this style, several artists paint their paintings. Modern impressionism exists in Russia (Andre Cohn), in France (Laurent Parsellier), in America (Diana Leonard).
Andre Cohn is the most prominent representative of the new impressionism. His paintings, painted in oil, are striking in their simplicity. The artist sees the beautiful in everyday things. The Creator interprets many objects through the prism of movement.
The watercolor works of Laurent Parsellier are known to the whole world. His series of works “The Strange World” was released in the form of postcards. Gorgeous, vibrant and sensual, they are breathtaking.
As in the 19th century, at the moment, the strength of artists remains plein air painting. Thanks to her, impressionism will live forever. The paintings of famous artists are still inspiring, impressive and inspiring.