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.
Purple Evening on Wacker Dr., Oil Painting
By Yangzi Xu
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Set during an evening on Wacker Drive, the artwork offers an atmospheric view of Chicago, featuring the iconic Tribune Tower and surrounding buildings. The st...
Oil
"Moonlit Night", Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original Oil painting by Ukrainian artist Evgeny Chernyakovsky "Moonlit Night" 90.0 X 70.0 CM / 35.4 X 27.5 IN HIGH QUALITY oil on canvas Signed on the front and back Dated 20...
Oil
Serenity and Movement, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero paints a raft of ducks swimming in a pond surrounded by spring foliage. "I have been observing ducks in their habitats in order to paint...
Oil
Ellendorfer Heide II, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Gary Westall
Located in Yardley, PA
For a week, I painted en plein air in the Lüneburg Heath with my painting colleague Edeltraud Woydeck. Edeltraud knows the Lüneburg Heath very well and chose beautiful places to pa...
Oil
The Last Light on the Marsh, Original Painting
By Jinny Tomozy
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
An array of colors presents itself before the sun dips behind the mountains. Shadows drape the landscape in cold blues and violets while the water reflects th...
Acrylic
Winter symphony, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
ORIGINAL OIL PAINTING ON CANVAS IMPRESSIONIST WALL ART WORK Modern painting / Impressionism artwork / Original oil painting / Vibrant winter scene / Snowy rural house painting fro...
Oil
Golden harbor, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
"Golden harbor" captures the breathtaking view of Kotor Bay in Montenegro. This impressionist painting radiates warmth and vibrancy, with golden hues reflecting on the water and sail...
Oil
Sunset at the Grand Canyon, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Crystal DiPietro paints a sunset as the warm light descends beyond the horizon. The golden rays illuminate the towering mesas adorned in shades of oran...
Oil
Beauty comes from within, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Gary Westall
Located in Yardley, PA
When I was on holiday in Mallorca in spring 2023, I saw this beautiful vase and sea of ??flowers in a front garden. I knew immediately that I had to paint it. So inviting, cheerful a...
Oil
"Tami's Kitchen" (2020) By Pam Ingalls, Original Impressionist Landscape
By Pam Ingalls
Located in Denver, CO
Tami's Kitchen, 2020
Oil, Board
Marxener Paradies, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Gary Westall
Located in Yardley, PA
For a week, I painted en plein air in the Lüneburg Heath with my painting colleague Edeltraud Woydeck. Edeltraud, who knows the Lüneburg Heath very well, chose beautiful places to ...
Oil
Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida, Original Painting
By James Nyika
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
People revel in the beauty of a sun-soaked beach and refreshing water. A man runs along the sandy shore, while a woman in a yellow swimsuit wades into the spa...
Watercolor
Delta Gloaming, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Fiery clouds streak across the sky, gently illuminating the dark landscape below. In the distance, hints of cobalt blue contrast sharply with the red-orange g...
Oil
Winter Sunset, Original Painting
By Judy Mudd
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Bare trees in the foreground stand against a softly colored sky transitioning from a warm, glowing orange to a gentle yellow. A path cuts through the scene, w...
Watercolor
Passing By, Original Painting
By Karen Barton
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Soft clouds blend with a bright blue sky, where five birds soar in a serene atmosphere. The scene takes inspiration from artist Karen Barton's observation of ...
Acrylic
Aussie Love, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Breathtaking sunset reflects off a cloud-filled sky in Australia, creating a color-filled landscape. Below, a road cuts through a field and leads to a distant...
Acrylic
Autumn Dream, Oil Painting
By Lisa Elley
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
"Every fall season, I embark on a sojourn to the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains to soak in the changing fall colors of the birch and quaking aspens," says ar...
Oil
Cozy Street. Prague, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A cozy street in Prague glows with vibrancy after a rainfall. Refreshed leaves adorn the trees, houses exude a renewed radiance, and the wet pavement glistens...
Oil
The White Barn, Original Painting
By Judy Mudd
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A rustic white barn stands in quiet solitude, its weathered walls telling a story of the past. A dirt path winds toward a misty, atmospheric backdrop. The sof...
Watercolor
Provence: In a Tarascon Alley, a Vignette of Light, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
On a trip to Provence, artist Elizabeth Garat found herself lost and stumbled upon a picturesque moment in a village alley. The scene reminded her of Claude M...
Oil
The White Shed, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
An old white shed stands by the roadside, upright and still in use after many years. Its weathered exterior tells a story of resilience, a familiar sight in t...
Oil
Joys of Summer, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Pink petals stand out amidst a bed of lush green leaves. Artist Catherine McCargar, an avid gardener and dedicated watercolorist, painted these coneflowers gr...
Watercolor
Grappling, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
In 2023, artist Onelio Marrero began a series of oil sketches featuring men painting buildings high above city sidewalks. Inspired by one, this piece captures...
Oil
Lake, Sunny Day, Original Painting
By Janet Dyer
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A serene lake reflects the blue sky and surrounding trees on its still surface. The foliage portrays the changing season, from the bright summer day to cool a...
Acrylic
Golden Morn, Painting, Pastels on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Golden Morn is a luminous pastel painting depicting a serene sunrise over tranquil wetlands. Soft oranges, pinks, and purples blend seamlessly across the sky, reflected in the windin...
Pastel
Blue Bonnet Hill, Painting, Pastels on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
"Blue Bonnet Hill" is an original pastel painting that captures an impressionistic landscape scene. The artwork is created with soft pastels on paper. A workable fixative has been ap...
Pastel
Boulders in the Autumn, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Golden foliage blankets the forest floor while a stream gently flows through rocky terrain. The artwork is part of artist Onelio Marrero's series that explore...
Oil
Evening Light 2, Original Painting
By Judy Mudd
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A busy city street comes to life at dusk. The limited color palette and the angle capture the fading light, casting a soft glow over buildings and cars. The p...
Watercolor
Dune Path, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Dune Path by Filomena Booth is a serene acrylic landscape that captures the quiet beauty of a coastal escape. The painting invites the viewer to wander down a sandy trail flanked by ...
Acrylic
Magic In Nature, Oil Painting
By Mary Pratt
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A playful interaction between shapes and colors in nature unfolds in this fantastical landscape. Two predominant areas of light create a silhouette, casting o...
Oil
Rolling Skies, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The scene features vast open fields, mountains, and a horizon. Distant rolling sky and sweeping clouds capture the beauty of changing weather patterns. Shrubs...
Oil
Palm at the sea, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
A vibrant, painterly landscape painting. The palm tree dominates the foreground, its vibrant green fronds extending outward against a clear, cerulean blue sky. The palm trunk are a ...
Oil
Kamaris beach, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
"Kamaris Beach" is an original oil painting depicting a small white church with a red tiled roof, standing guard over a lively sea. The waves crash against the rocks, creating a dyna...
Oil
Ballerinas, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Three ballerinas are depicted in a dynamic pose, seemingly in mid-movement. The ballerinas are rendered with light, muted colors. Skin tones are pale and rosy, and the tutus are in ...
Oil
Shaggy dogs, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
The painting shows two shaggy dogs standing on a sandy beach with the ocean waves rolling in behind them. The dog on the left has lighter fur, while the one on the right has a mix of...
Oil
Birds of Paradise, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A bird of paradise charms with its beauty. Its fiery petals contrast vividly with the lush green leaves. Inspired by her photograph taken during a stroll in S...
Acrylic
Sand Crab Competition, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero often spends time with his family at the New Jersey shore. In this painting, groups of children strategize and work diligently digging f...
Oil
Leisure Lake Early Morning, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Bright sunlight dances on the serene pond, reflecting the vibrant greens of the surrounding foliage. Gentle ripples add a sense of movement to the tranquil sc...
Oil
Oasis, Oil Painting
By Mandy Main
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A close-up painting depicts the Palm Canyon stream nestling among rocks and desert vegetation. Clusters of grasses and desert plants grow along the banks, their...
Oil
Cretan Bali beach boat, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
This original oil painting captures a peaceful boat scene on the bright blue sea near the coast of Crete. The artist's impressionistic style brings the scene to life, with a vibran...
Oil
Bouquet of peonies", Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original Oil painting by Ukrainian artist Evgeny Chernyakovsky Bouquet of peonies" 70.0 X 90.0 CM / 27.5 X 35.4 IN HIGH QUALITY oil on canvas Signed on the front and back Date...
Oil
A View from the Makoro, Oil Painting
By Joanie Ford
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Soft hues of green and brown blend together in a serene wetland scene. Lilies float gently on the calm river, while clusters of bushes and grasses thrive alon...
Oil
"Koi in the pond", Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original Oil painting by Ukrainian artist Evgeny Chernyakovsky "Koi in the pond" 80.0 X 90.0 CM / 31.4 X 35.4 IN HIGH QUALITY oil on canvas Signed on the front and back Dated ...
Oil
Boats at the pier, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original Oil painting by Ukrainian artist Evgeny Chernyakovsky "Boats at the pier" 50.0 X 80.0 CM / 19.6 X 31.4 IN HIGH QUALITY oil on canvas Signed on the front and back Date...
Oil
Balos beach boat, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
The image is a painting of a coastal scene with a bright blue and red boat beached on yellow sands. The boat is positioned with its center of gravity low on the sand, suggesting it m...
Oil
Ducks near the Chute in Boonton, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This painting depicts the Rockaway River in Boonton, New Jersey, on a mid-winter day. It shows several cascades where the river narrows into a gorge along its...
Oil
Mountain Reverie Series 9, Original Painting
Trail North, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
On a late morning, a hiking trail welcomes the warmth of the sun. Palm and oak trees provide comforting shades along the way, while the treetops capture the f...
Acrylic
Mendocino Cottages, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Cozy cottages line up snugly on a quiet street in the coastal town of Mendocino, California. The scene leads to the top of the road, where the sky blends into...
Watercolor
A Stream of Hope and Love, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Three birds dip their feet in a stream, with the larger two closely watching the smallest one. Leaves on slender stems surround the small flock, adding a touc...
Acrylic
Mountain Reverie Series 15, Original Painting
Melody of water, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Lake landscape oil painting Ukrainian art Original impressionist artwork Blue green nature scene Wall decor from Kyiv - Immerse yourself in the soothing harmony of nature with ...
Oil
Venetian Bridge", Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original Oil painting by Ukrainian artist Evgeny Chernyakovsky ""Venetian Bridge"" 60.0 X 100.0 CM / 23.6 X 39.3 IN HIGH QUALITY oil on canvas Signed on the front and back Dat...
Oil
Along the beach, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting captures a serene and tender moment of a woman walking her dog along a sunlit beach. The artist uses a soft, impressionistic style with visible brushstrokes and a warm ...
Oil
Pink flamingos, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original Oil painting by Ukrainian artist Evgeny Chernyakovsky " Pink flamingos " 80.0 X 95.0 CM / 31.4 X 37.4 IN HIGH QUALITY oil on canvas Signed on the front and back Dated...
Oil
Small chhapel at Gerani, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
The chapel is set in a garden surrounded by greenery. The roof is light cream or white. Two arched windows are visible on the sides of the building, each set in a small niche. A smal...
Oil
Quiet Harbor, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original Oil painting by Ukrainian artist Evgeny Chernyakovsky "Quiet Harbor" 80.0 X 70.0 CM / 31.4 X 27.5 IN HIGH QUALITY oil on canvas Signed on the front and back Dated 2...
Oil
Evening Glow, Painting, Watercolor on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Evening Glow Watercolor Art size - 8"x6" Matted to fit in standard 8"x10" frame :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticit...
Watercolor
Mallows at home, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original Oil painting by Ukrainian artist Evgeny Chernyakovsky "Mallows at home" 80.0 X 90.0 CM / 31.4 X 35.4IN HIGH QUALITY oil on canvas Signed on the front and back Dated 2...
Oil
Oak and Stone, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
North Carolina boasts many beautiful rivers. The scene, set in late summer, highlights the early blush of fall and its reflections in the water. The sunlight ...
Acrylic