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.
Silent song of the river, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Quiet river landscape oil painting. Ukrainian impressionist artwork. Original nature scene by Andrii Chebotaru - "Silent song of the river" cap...
Oil
Peach blossom, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE ANH TUAN
Located in Yardley, PA
Peach blossoms are not simply the flowers of Tet, a symbol of spring. This flower is also considered the quintessence of the five elements because of its bright, gentle and delicat...
Acrylic
Seaside Solace, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Lisa Elley
Located in Yardley, PA
'Seaside Solace' is an original oil painting on gallery wrap stretched canvas by Lisa Elley. Inspired by the iconic California coastal landscape, this piece features thick impasto te...
Oil
The Siesta, Painting, Watercolor on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
This joyful painting is filled with many thoughtful details that make me smile! On the wall hangs a painting by Paul Gauguin called, "The Siesta". The colors of this painting are ...
Watercolor
Spring Peach Blossom Bloom, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE ANH TUAN
Located in Yardley, PA
Peach blossom is the most beautiful and popular flower in the North of Vietnam, loved by many people and displayed during Tet. Peach tree is considered the quintessence of the Five ...
Acrylic
Early Spring Cherry Blossoms, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE ANH TUAN
Located in Yardley, PA
Early Spring Cherry Blossoms Immerse yourself in the magical beauty of nature with this wonderful work of art – **"Early Spring Cherry Blossoms"**. The painting is a harmony of ...
Acrylic
Days Of Summer, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
An original oil painting of the most glorious, colorful garden! A little dog is soaking up the sun on a garden path, beautiful shadow patterns are cast onto the walkway. French do...
Oil
Sweet summer. Watermelon still life., Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
“Sweet summerâ€
Oil
$9,800
Arthur Clifton Goodwin Cityscape Oil Painting, Boston Waterfront in Winter
Located in Milford, NH
A fine impressionist winter cityscape of the Boston waterfront in Massachusetts by American artist (1864-1929). Born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Goodwin lived and worked most of hi...
Canvas, Oil
De Smorenhoek – 15-12-24, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
The Second One This colored pencil drawing ‘De Smorenhoek – 15-12-24’ is my next impressionist one after ‘Royal Estate – 12-12-24’. This time in color. This isn’t th...
Pencil
An Evening In Barcelona - COMMISSION
Located in Yardley, PA
An original 30" x 24" cityscape oil painting of Barcelona. This painting depicts people enjoying the warm summer evening in the El Born neig...
Oil
My Favorite Room, Painting, Watercolor on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
This is a joyful painting of a young giraffe casually lounging on a sofa in a garden sun room. The sofa is filled with a tropical themed blanket and pillows. This style of this paint...
Watercolor
Orchid#2., Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Irina Alexandrina's painting is guided by her all-consuming passion to share with the viewer the beauty and perfection of the universe, which we sometimes pass by in a hurry. His wor...
Oil
London, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
City London. River Thames. oil on canvas. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Ready to Hang: Yes :: ...
Oil
Morning expanses, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
"Morning expanses" created in 2024, depicts a vibrant morning in Montenegro's mountains. The bold, expressive palette captures the dynamic play of light and shadow as the sun rises, ...
Oil
My Favorite Bear, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A young girl lies asleep on her stomach, one arm tucked under her head while the other hugs a plush bear. Her ruffled blonde hair and warm skin contrast with th...
Oil
Point Dume, Malibu, Painting, Watercolor on Paper
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Plein air watercolor painting of Point Dume in Malibu, California. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist ...
Watercolor
The Shadow, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A laptop plays a film on its screen. The image comes from Bram Stoker's Dracula, a 1993 vampire film starring Gary Oldman and Keanu Reeves. Figures appear in a ...
Oil
Sheridan Park, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A residential street in Sheridan Park, Chicago, looks peaceful beneath the July night sky. Deep blues dominate the upper portion, blending with purple clouds be...
Oil
Dusk in the North, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
An interior view centers on a window opening onto a quiet, pale cityscape. A deer sculpture rests on a green structural post. Outside, buildings bask in the mut...
Oil
Sunlit from Inside, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
An orange rose shines against the other deep red flowers. Set in a cool blue vase, the petals layer into one another with a quiet sense of mystery. Bold color m...
Acrylic
Kitty Comfort, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A young girl sleeps peacefully as she hugs a marmalade tabby kitten. Thick, impressionistic oil paint, influenced by Russian art, builds the scene with rich tex...
Oil
Summer Meadow, Painting, Watercolor on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Summer Meadow Acrylic on watercolor paper Mounted on foamboard, matted in a crisp white mat. Ready to be framed in a 10"x10" frame :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece com...
Watercolor
$1,664Sale Price|20% Off
View of a Venetian Harbor oil painting on wood panel 2Oth C
Located in Gavere, BE
View of a Venetian Harbor oil painting on wood panel 2Oth C Additional information about the work: Title: View of a Venetian Harbor Medium: oil on wooden panel Signature: not sign...
Oil, Wood Panel
$2,660Sale Price|30% Off
One Hundred Thousand Trilliums - 18"x24", Floral Landscape, Flowers, Green, Blue
Located in Mississauga, Ontario
This acrylic and collage landscape painting captures a symphony of delicate, hand-cut collage trilliums, meticulously crafted to create an enchanting scene of nature's beauty. Mixed ...
Gesso, Canvas, Paper, Acrylic Polymer, Acrylic
Evening Venice. Grand Canal, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
This vibrant artwork vividly captures Venice’s enchanting nighttime allure. Executed in luscious, bold strokes, the painting portrays the Grand Canal's shimmering reflections under...
Oil
Fleeting, Drawing, Charcoal on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Original charcoal drawing on paper by James Shipton My works are heavily influenced by the art work of Degas and Gustav Klimt. My desire is to capture the human form, whilst port...
Charcoal
White Rose with Strawberries, Painting, Oil on Wood Panel
By Karen Daigle
Located in Yardley, PA
Painted Alla Prima or wet in wet and finished in one setting. I believe in only using quality materials and varnish all my paintings for protection. This painting is unframed. Due to...
Oil
Heartbreak, Drawing, Charcoal on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Original charcoal drawing on paper by James Shipton My works are heavily influenced by the art work of Degas and Gustav Klimt. Here I was really trying to create a sense of vulne...
Charcoal
$5,126
Summer Shoppers on Regent Street - cityscape impressionism - contemporary art
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, 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
San Francisco.Blue., Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Irina Alexandrina's painting is guided by her all-consuming passion to share with the viewer the beauty and perfection of the universe, which we sometimes pass by in a hurry. His wor...
Oil
Flower Still life, Painting, Acrylic on Paper
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Painted this using the long extended brush. I like how I am able to get expressive with the brushstrokes. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificat...
Acrylic
Landscape #3, Painting, Oil on Other
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Oil on Burlap mounted on Cardboard. I did three of these this size. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artis...
Oil
Red Hollyhocks, Painting, Oil on Wood Panel
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Plein air oil painting on wood of the hollyhocks in my backyard. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist ::...
Oil
Backyard hollyhocks, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Large acrylic painting done in the studio of the hollyhocks in my backyard. :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by th...
Acrylic
Summer night on Ventura Blvd., Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By John Kilduff
Located in Yardley, PA
Large painting of a hot summer night on Ventura Blvd. Spray paint and acrylic on canvas :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity...
Acrylic
Abstract ll
Located in East Hampton, NY
Abstract work COMES FRAMED simple wood, app 1.5" deep. Cubism Style Post Modern About the Artist: Kenneth B Walsh (1922-1980) In the 1950s, Kenneth Bonar Walsh came to Montauk fr...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Water lilies, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
"Water lilies" Original Oil painting by Ukrainian artist Evgeny Chernyakovsky 90.0 X 70.0 CM / 35.4 X 27.5 IN HIGH QUALITY oil on canvas Signed on the front and back Dated 202...
Oil
See Me, Drawing, Charcoal on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Original charcoal drawing on paper by James Shipton My works are heavily influenced by the art work of Degas and Gustav Klimt. Do we want to be seen? Recognised or hidden away ou...
Charcoal
Gardin., Painting, Oil on Glass
Located in Yardley, PA
Irina Alexandrina's painting is guided by her all-consuming passion to share with the viewer the beauty and perfection of the universe, which we sometimes pass by in a hurry. His wor...
Oil
D.A.R.E Study, Drawing, Charcoal on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Original charcoal drawing on paper by James Shipton My works are heavily influenced by the art work of Degas and Gustav Klimt. My desire is to capture the human form, whilst port...
Charcoal
Around the River, Painting, Oil on Other
Located in Yardley, PA
A vibrant landscape depicts a serene river flowing through a colorful countryside, with mountains providing a majestic backdrop. The scene is full of lush greenery, houses, and a cle...
Oil
Nantucket Harbor
By Nelson White
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
A serene depiction of a Nantucket harbor. Painted en plein air. Artist Bio: Nelson H. White was born in New London, Connecticut in 1932. White has be...
Oil
The Unknown, Drawing, Charcoal on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Original charcoal drawing on paper by James Shipton My works are heavily influenced by the art work of Degas and Gustav Klimt. Following the breakdown of the human female nude, I...
Charcoal
Sugar, Drawing, Charcoal on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Original charcoal drawing on paper by James Shipton My works are heavily influenced by the art work of Degas and Gustav Klimt. Following the breakdown of the human female nude, I...
Charcoal
New Heights, Drawing, Charcoal on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Original charcoal drawing on paper by James Shipton My works are heavily influenced by the art work of Degas and Gustav Klimt. Following the breakdown of the human female nude, I...
Charcoal
"Endless sunrise", Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Instagram:@chebotaru.a The painting "Endless sunrise" created in 2024 on the ?ur?evi?a Bridge over the Tara River in Montenegro, captures a majestic morning panorama of the canyon. T...
Oil
Kingfisher, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Gary Westall
Located in Yardley, PA
The kingfisher, a jewel of nature. It is a joy to be able to see this bird live. I was able to observe these beautiful birds at a stream in the Wiehen Hills. Oil on canvas - 30 × 6...
Oil
Coast of Galicia, Before the Rain, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
The coasts of Galicia, Spain. In this work, I sought to capture the imposing force and raw beauty of the Galician coast just before the arrival of a rain shower. The inexorable ap...
Oil
Flatiron. Broudway., Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
work contains elements that pay homage to the technique and skillful touches of the old masters, mixed with abstract expressionism and color field painting of contemporary names. :: ...
Oil
Autumn Sunset in the Forest, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Textured in parts with pallet knife and brush, a beautiful atmospheric oil painting of the sun climbing down the sky, in the trees. The setting of the sun is casting rays of shadows...
Oil
Boats. Evening., Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
work contains elements that pay homage to the technique and skillful touches of the old masters, mixed with abstract expressionism and color field painting of contemporary names. :: ...
Oil
Early Morning Canada, Painting, Watercolor on Paper
By Helal Uddin
Located in Yardley, PA
This is one of my on location paintings. I love watercolor because it’s a very challenging medium. I used Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors with world-class acid-free Arches 300g...
Watercolor
Day and night, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
A blend of day turning to night in this beach seascape scene in my signature colour palette :: Painting :: Impressionist :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authentic...
Oil
Minted wave, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Wave detail in mint green on a neutral grey palette. In crafting this seascape, I immersed myself in the tranquillity of the ocean—its serene greys and dynamic whites mingling in a...
Oil
Peaceful moment, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting captures a tender moment of connection and joy between a mother and child by the sea. Using rich oil textures and impressionistic light, the artist aimed to evoke warmt...
Oil
"Canyon", Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original Oil painting by Ukrainian artist Evgeny Chernyakovsky "Canyon" 70.0 X 60.0 CM / 27.5 X 23.6 IN HIGH QUALITY oil on canvas Signed on the front and back Dated 2024 Goo...
Oil
Escaped Land 08, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
The book "Het Ontsnapte Land" by Geert Mak served as a source of inspiration for this painting. The artist incorporated texts fragments in the painting with leaf metal: “At the ...
Acrylic
Secret Forest River, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Painting of a beautiful river, flowing through a forest in the heart of the welsh country side. In this scene the river is splashing over large rocks and tree branches, creating ear...
Oil