Impressionist Mixed Media
Emerging in 19th-century France, Impressionist art embraced loose brushwork and plein-air painting to respond to the movement of daily life. Although the pioneers of the Impressionist movement — Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir — are now household names, their work was a radical break with an art scene led and shaped by academic traditions for around two centuries. These academies had oversight of a curriculum that emphasized formal drawing, painting and sculpting techniques and historical themes.
The French Impressionists were influenced by a group of artists known as the Barbizon School, who painted what they witnessed in nature. The rejection of pieces by these artists and the later Impressionists from the salons culminated in a watershed 1874 exhibition in Paris that was staged outside of the juried systems. After a work of Monet’s was derided by a critic as an unfinished “impression,” the term was taken as a celebration of their shared interest in capturing fleeting moments as subject matter, whether the shifting weather on rural landscapes or the frenzy of an urban crowd. Rather than the exacting realism of the academic tradition, Impressionist paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings represented how an artist saw a world in motion.
Many Impressionist painters were inspired by the perspectives in imported Japanese prints alongside these shifts in European painting — Édouard Manet drew on ukiyo-e woodblock prints and depicted Japanese design in his Portrait of Émile Zola, for example. American artists such as Mary Cassatt and William Merritt Chase, who studied abroad, were impacted by the work of the French artists, and by the late 19th century American Impressionism had its own distinct aesthetics with painters responding to the rapid modernization of cities through quickly created works that were vivid with color and light.
Find a collection of authentic Impressionist art on 1stDibs.
1910s Impressionist Mixed Media
Paper, Crayon, Watercolor, Pencil
2010s Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Mixed Media
Plaster, Wood
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Mixed Media
Plaster, Wood
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Mixed Media
Plaster, Wood
20th Century Impressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Pastel, Mixed Media, Oil
1890s Impressionist Mixed Media
Paper, Gouache
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Mixed Media
Plaster, Wood
Early 1900s Impressionist Mixed Media
Gouache
Artist Comments
Three hummingbirds soar gracefully against a soft, dreamy sky filled with pastel clouds and golden light. Their delicate forms and jewel-toned bodies stand ou...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Lily pads and dappled light dance on a pond. Rich blues and greens with an embedded gold metal leaf create movement in the water. The mosaic-stained glass aesth...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Zinnias burst with vibrant energy, their single and double-petaled blooms showcasing a spectrum of colors. Bright sunlight and soft shadows highlight the varied...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Early 2000s Impressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil, Mixed Media, Cotton Canvas, Varnish, Epoxy Resin, Cotton
Artist Comments
Artist Jennifer Ross presents a still life of a bird's nest on a light and airy background. The layered textures contrast the simplicity of the composition. She uses her eggshell collage technique on the eggs and sculpts the strands of the nest with an acrylic gel medium. "It's about starting to see life in an entirely new way," says Jennifer.
About the Artist
Artist Jennifer Ross creates intimate portraits of birds, nests and horses. Jennifer grew up surrounded by the art of her mother and grandfather. Her attempt to follow in their footsteps presented detours, however, and she ended up working in art galleries selling other's work. But her desire to paint continued to grow throughout the years. In 2008, a gift certificate to a local art store turned into a life-changing event. Jennifer found inspiration in a collection of antique prints...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Early 2000s Impressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Cotton, Epoxy Resin, Varnish, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Impressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Board, Wood Panel, Oil, Mixed Media, Cotton Canvas, Varnish, Woo...
Early 1900s Impressionist Mixed Media
Watercolor, Gouache, Paper
Artist Comments
This acrylic painting presents a delicate yet striking portrait of a woman adorned with a floral crown. Smooth, blended skin tones contrast with expressive, tex...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Framed by distant mountains, sunflowers bask in the sunlight, their petals dancing in the gentle breeze. Artist Melissa Gannon created this vibrant piece by l...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Marble, Sandstone
1920s Impressionist Mixed Media
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Early 2000s Impressionist Mixed Media
Oil, Cardboard
Early 2000s Impressionist Mixed Media
Oil, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Board
Early 2000s Impressionist Mixed Media
Fabric, Oil, Mixed Media, Sailcloth, Chalk, Paper, Wood, Plastic
2010s Impressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Tiffany Blaise captures the quiet drama of the West Coast shoreline at golden hour, when the shifting sky meets the glistening tide. Swirling brushstroke...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
1930s Impressionist Mixed Media
Gouache
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Mixed Media
Plaster, Wood
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Mixed Media
Plaster, Wood
Artist Comments
A hummingbird soars above, its jewel-colored feathers standing out against the pastel sky. Vibrant blades of grass rise from below. In this scene, artist Kare...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Impressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Bright turquoise waters along Lake Tahoe’s east shore reveal striking clarity and depth. Viewed from a stand-up paddleboard, the scene captures vibrant hues, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Mixed Media
Plaster, Wood
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Mixed Media
Plaster, Wood
1980s Impressionist Mixed Media
Watercolor, Laid Paper, Photographic Paper
2010s Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
A rocky mountain rises dramatically from the red desert floor of the Valley of Fire. Loose washes of watercolor convey serenity, while sharp lines define the ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Impressionist Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
Late 19th Century Impressionist Mixed Media
Paper, Gouache
Artist Comments
Sunbeams filter through dense cloud cover, illuminating the contours of mountainous terrain and water below. Inspired by the dramatic vistas of the Pacific Nort...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Oil
1920s Impressionist Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
Artist Comments
A wildly colorful panorama from the San Juan Mountains in Colorado unfolds in warm layers, with clouds casting cool blue shadows in contrast. The greens of th...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Mixed Media
Plaster, Wood
2010s Impressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A yucca stretches toward the fiery Sedona sunset, where bright oranges and pinks fill the sky. Soft brushstrokes blend dry grasse...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Impressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Keith Thomson depicts the Mets mascot riding the train—once again establishing his recurring narrative of unexpected commuters in transit. "With thei...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Enamel
Artist Comments
Artist Karen Barton captured this charming scene from her flower garden, where three hummingbirds appear to interact as if engaged in a lively conversation. S...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
A man and a cow share a quiet ride across a vibrant, sunlit landscape. The driver focuses on the road ahead while the animal stands calmly, gazing over the go...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
20th Century Impressionist Mixed Media
Wood, Gesso, Oil
2010s Impressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Impressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
Artist Comments
A snow-covered mountain basks in sunlight while thin clouds drift in the crisp and cold air. Adding depth and contrast to the scene, shadows fall in bright bl...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
