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.
Sunny Calm, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Vibrant colors depict a serene rural landscape with mountains in the distance under a bright sky. Rolling hills, haystacks, and small structures create a lively and inviting countrys...
Oil
Sunny Yard, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Bright and vibrant hues depict a rural landscape with houses and trees under a clear blue sky. The composition features a mix of fields, hills, and vivid structures harmoniously arra...
Oil
$18,000
The Boat Shop
Located in Milford, NH
A fine impressionist oil painting of the boat shop by Italian American artist Antonio Cirino (1889-1983). Cirino was born in Italy and moved to the United States, attending the Rhode...
Canvas, Oil
Path Toward Mountains, Provence, Original Painting
By Janet Dyer
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A path slopes upward toward the mountains in the French countryside. Spontaneous and bold strokes suggest movement among the foliage as if rustling with the win...
Acrylic
Timberlight, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The forest stood at the edge of a new season, caught between summer's farewell and autumn's first whisper. Young birches reach eagerly toward the sky, their sle...
Acrylic
Coastal Iris Bloom, Oil Painting
By Lisa Elley
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Nestled in Coastal Big Sur, California, the jagged cliffs meet the soothing azure waves, creating a picturesque scenery. Enhanced by the vibrant hues of the wildflower...
Oil
$9,800
Vermont Farm
By Paul Sample
Located in Milford, NH
A fine impressionist landscape of a Vermont farm by American artist Paul Starrett Sample (1896-1974). Sample was born in Louisville, Kentucky and went to school at Dartmouth College,...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Cloud Reflections" oil painting, impressionist landscape of Vermont, Mountains
By Viktor Butko
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
"Cloud Refelctions" is an oil painting by Russian Impressionist painter Viktor Butko (b. 1978, Moscow) painted en plein air, aka outdoors. This painting is a culmination of Butko's ...
Linen, Oil
Modern Impressionist Oil Painting Children Playing at Seaside on Sandy Beach
Located in ludlow, GB
Modern Impressionist Beach Scene with Children Playing at the Seaside, an Oil Painting on Canvas on stretchers, Signed and Framed, there is a choice of modern or traditional style fr...
Oil
Morning forest, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
The painting is an oil on canvas and depicts a tranquil scene of cranes flying over a waterway surrounded by misty forest. The focus is on two cranes, one to the right and one to the...
Oil
Charles Adams Platt Landscape Oil Painting, Hook Windmill, Easthampton, NY 1885
Located in Milford, NH
A fine impressionist Easthampton, New York landscape with a windmill by American artist Charles Adams Platt (1861-1933). Platt was born in New York City, and his training was as an a...
Canvas, Oil
Winter scene at sunset, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
The painting illustrates a serene winter scene at sunset. It features a river in the foreground, partially frozen, with a lone boat anchored near the riverbank. Trees line the banks ...
Oil
Dawn's Embrace, Original Painting
By Joanie Ford
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Joanie Ford created this pastel artwork using high quality pure pigment pastels. A sailboat glides across calm water, its silhouette reflected in the shi...
Pastel
$3,600
"Nassau, Bahamas 12.18.2019" oil painting of palm tree beach seascape gold frame
By Nelson White
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
An oil painting of a palm tree in the Bahamas. A classically trained artist, Nelson H. White only paints landscapes "en plein air" aka out of doors. A curved tree reaches out towards...
Oil
Sunny landscape, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
This is an oil painting depicting a landscape scene. At the forefront, there is a small blue house situated in a pastureland abundant with yellow flowers and herbage. Surrounding the...
Oil
Bridgeport (The Dock, Bridgeport, Connecticut)
Located in New York, NY
Etching, 1888 (printed later). Initialed by the artist's son, Alden Twachtman, in lower margin "JHT per AT". Sheet size: 4.25 x6.38 inches, with full margins. Catalogue raisonné re...
Etching
Tulip fields of Lisse, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
This is an oil painting depicting the vibrant tulip fields of Lisse, Netherlands, a region known for its tulip festival. The painting showcases expansive fields of tulips in various ...
Oil
Joy, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Fresh tulips fill the scene with vibrant colors that evoke joy. The cool green leaves and dark purple background contrast beautifully with the bright pink pet...
Acrylic
Ocean Cliffs, Warm Light, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
In this seascape, artist Elizabeth Garat paints crashing waves against rust-colored cliffs. The late afternoon sun creates a dynamic interplay of warm and cool light, illuminating the rocks and surf along California’s central coast. Distant hills and coastline offer a tranquil backdrop to the vivid contrasts in the foreground.
About the Artist
Artist Elizabeth Garat paints impressionist landscapes, seascapes, and scenes from her travels that reflect her deep connection to the natural world. “Exposure to nature early on planted the seed of landscape painting in me,†says Elizabeth. Raised between California and Colorado, she spent her formative years outdoors—exploring her grandfather’s sheep ranch, walking beaches with her grandmother, and discovering California Impressionism in the galleries of Laguna Beach. She later studied with noted photographer MacDuff Everton at UC Santa Barbara and trained in plein air painting with Maddine Insalaco and Joe Vinson in Italy. Elizabeth works from a bright studio converted from her home’s detached garage, complete with barn wood walls, a skylight, and a Dutch door...
Oil
Entangled Radiance, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Inspired by a winter walk through open space in Colorado at sunset, this painting captures the moment when the fading light illuminated the twisted branches of ...
Oil
Champagne, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
To celebrate life this is a 'raining' champagne on the pond! It is a painting that I wish will bring you joy and good times this year and all to come! :: Painting :: Impressionist :...
Oil
Purple Rain, Original Painting
By Nava Lundy
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Soft layers of violet, lavender, and muted green create a dreamy bouquet that feels both fresh and timeless. Loose, gestural brushwork and subtle drips give the...
Acrylic
$1,678Sale Price|20% Off
Spring. 1991. Cardboard, oil, 94.5x70 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Spring 1991. Cardboard, oil, 94.5x70 cm
Oil, Cardboard
Riomaggiore, Cinque terre, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
This vibrant oil painting captures the charm of the village of Riomaggiore in Cinque Terre, Italy. With its colorful buildings clinging to the cliffs and boats gently floating on the...
Oil
French Parisian Scene
Located in Milford, NH
A fine impressionist painting of boats by a bridge in Paris by French artist Claude Montier (b. 1900). Oil on canvas, signed lower right, a...
Canvas, Oil
Soliloquy In Blue_, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A young woman sleeps comfortably on her bed, surrounded by red and pink pillows, while cool blues and grays envelop the rest of the room. The stark whites of he...
Oil
$475
Forest View of a Village in Normandy by David Harris (American, 20th c.)
By David Harris
Located in San Francisco, CA
Forest View of a Village in Normandy by David Harris (American, 20th c.) A fine original oil painting of Normandy, France by an American artist. The painting is on canvas and measu...
Canvas, Oil
Stony Brook
Located in Milford, NH
A fine impressionist woodland scene with a brook and birches by American artist Paul Bernard King (1867-1947). King was born in Buffalo, New York, and after becoming an established printer, went on to study at the NY Art Students League with Henry S. Mowbray. While a student, he became an illustrator for Life and Harper’s magazines, and went on to become well known for his portraits, landscapes, rural scenes, and illustrations. Oil on canvas, signed lower right, inscribed title on verso stretcher “Paul King, Stony Brook...
Canvas, Oil
$2,400
"The Waves 09.27.22" contemporary american impressionist seascape w custom frame
By Nelson White
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
A close study of the warm September waves on Long Island. Framed Dimensions: 9.5 x 16.5 inches Antique custom wood frame - made in Italy Top-loop hardware Artist Bio Nelson H. Whi...
Oil, Panel
Potomac Highlands WV Barn in Autumn, Oil Painting
By Doug Cosbie
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This artwork captures the hot, dry atmosphere of the Potomac Highlands in West Virginia. Rustic barns and copper-colored fields stand beneath a cloudless, viv...
Oil
Beach at Low Tide, Morning Glow, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Landscape of Brittany, France In this painting, I sought to capture the vibrant light of the Finistère coast on a beautiful summer day. The shimmering sea beneath the blue sky do...
Oil
Pink Blossom On Linen II, Nicky Chubb, Original Floral Artwork, Affordable Art
By Nicky Chubb
Located in Deddington, GB
Pink Blossom on Linen II By Nicky Chubb [2021] original Acrylic on canvas Image size: H:50 cm x W:50 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:50 cm x W:50 cm x D:3.5cm Sold Unframed Ple...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,891
Modern Impressionist Spanish Flamenco Dancer in Red Dress Oil Painting
Located in ludlow, GB
Contemporary Impressionist Oil Painting of a Spanish Flamenco Dancer in a Red Dress. Stunning study of a Spanish Flamenco Dancer striking a pose in...
Oil
Coastal Atmosphere, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Lazy waves move toward the shore beneath an open sky filled with subtle color and soft mist. With loose, expressive brushwork and a calming palette, the impress...
Oil
Madrona Mia, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Arbutus trees stand on a rocky bluff overlooking the ocean. Wind bends the branches and rustles the leaves, adding a sense of movement to the scene. Textured wa...
Oil
Twentieth Century Marine Oil of Thames Barges on the Medway with power station
Located in ludlow, GB
Twentieth Century Marine Oil Painting of Thames Barges on the Medway with power station in the background by Vic Ellis. Vic Ellis RSMA 1921 - 1984 Thames Barges and other Shipping....
Oil
Eternal Flow of Life, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Towering pink, lavender, and coral clouds billow dramatically across the sky. A winding stream cuts through the soft green fields below, leading into a sparse l...
Oil, Acrylic
Hold My Hand as the Day Fades Away, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This painting captures a vast landscape at sunset. Soft light spreads across an open field beneath a cloudy sky. Muted blues, grays, greens, and pale golds crea...
Oil
Sister Earth, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The smooth bark of a madrone tree in warm tones of orange, copper, and a hint of red stands out against the leafy green foliage. A broad stretch of shore reveal...
Oil
Silent Promises, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This small impressionist painting depicts a calm seascape beneath layered clouds illuminated by soft lavender, blue, and golden light. Reflections shimmer acros...
Oil
Spring Rains, Original Painting
By Vic Roschkov
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This atmospheric watercolor painting captures the essence of early spring, where recent rainfall revitalizes the earth. Pools of fresh water shimmer across the ...
Watercolor
Ice Cream Cone, Oil Painting
By Pat Doherty
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A generous serving of mint ice cream sits atop a crisp waffle cone. Dark chocolate fudge and sprinkles drip down the sides of the vibrant green scoop. Artist Pa...
Oil
Strawberry Mousse Pie, Oil Painting
By Pat Doherty
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A single wedge of strawberry mousse pie reveals a beautiful contrast of colors and textures. A dollop of whipped cream swirls into a perfect peak. Artist Pat Do...
Oil
Violet Whisper, Lake Como, Oil Painting
By Lisa Elley
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Painted in her signature impasto palette knife style, artist Lisa Elley captures the quiet romance of Italy in the early morning light. Lavender reflections dan...
Oil
Larry Rivers Modernist Male Figure Original Charcoal Mid 20th C.
By Larry Rivers
Located in San Francisco, CA
Larry Rivers (1923-2002) Modernist Male Figure Original Charcoal Mid 20th C. Rare charcoal portrait by American modernist painter Larry Rivers. Original charcoal on paper. Dimensions 17" x 22". The frame measures 29.5" x 34". Signed lower right. Very good condition. Figurative artist Larry Rivers was born in the Bronx in 1923 to Ukrainian Jewish parents, and was named Yitzak Loiza Grossberg. Rivers belonged to the second generation of the New York School of painters, although unlike most of his contemporaries he stayed away from abstraction instead preferring narrative paintings. Rivers attended Hans Hofmann's school for nearly two years. In 1949, he had his first solo show at the Jane Street Gallery, an artist's co-op in the Village. Rivers received favorable reviews and was invited to join the Tibor de Nagy...
Charcoal
$3,783
Modern Impressionist Landscape Maritime Oil Painting of Boats in a Marina
Located in ludlow, GB
Modern Impressionist Landscape Marine Oil painting of Boats in a Marina on a Misty Morning. Beautiful softly lit Oil On Board, signed and housed in a sympathetic handmade frame. Boy...
Oil
$22,000
Sunset Boats
By Hayley Lever
Located in Milford, NH
A fine impressionist oil painting with boats at sunset by Australian American artist Hayley Lever (1876-1958). Lever was born in Adelaide, Austr...
Canvas, Oil
Country Stroll, Original Painting
By Patty Phan
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Two figures stand near an open doorway of a rustic house. The summer sun casts bright light and soft shadows onto the scene. Artist Patty Phan depicts her Europ...
Watercolor
$8,000
"The Yellow Umbrellas" american impressionist beachscape with blue sky, impasto
By Nelson White
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
White returns to his favored subject, the beach scene with umbrella, with an abstract twist on the yellow umbrella motif with this impasto abstract hal...
Oil
California Poppy Coast, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Lisa Elley
Located in Yardley, PA
'California Poppy Coast' is an original oil painting by award-winning artist Lisa Elley. This painting captures a California coastal scene of the Pacific ocean greeting our state flo...
Oil
Reflections of Notre-Dame, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Faye Vander Veer captures the majesty of Notre Dame Cathedral at dusk in this evocative painting. She took the reference photograph long before the devas...
Oil
Winter Landscape with Houses, Jamaica, VT
Located in Milford, NH
A fine impressionist winter landscape with houses in Jamaica, Vermont by well known American artist Aldro Thompson Hibbard (1886-1972). Hibbard was born in Falmouth, MA, studied at ...
Oil, Panel
$261Sale Price|20% Off
Bouquet with poppies Cardboard, oil, 29.3x23.5 cm
By Uldis Krauze
Located in Riga, LV
Bouquet with poppies Cardboard, oil, 29.3x23.5 cm
Oil, Cardboard
Autumn melody. Landscape series., Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Autumn melody In this vibrantly textured oil painting, I explore the jubilant essence of autumn's splendor. Each brushstroke represents a joyful dance of leaves, swirling in the bri...
Oil
Autumn colors. Landscape series., Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Autumn colors. Landscape series. In this vibrantly textured oil painting, I explore the jubilant essence of autumn's splendor. Each brushstroke represents a joyful dance of leaves, ...
Oil
Contemporary Impressionist Oil Landscape Nocturne Ludlow Castle and Shropshire
Located in ludlow, GB
Contemporary Impressionist Signed Landscape Oil Painting Nocturne Ludlow Castle and Clee Hills beyond in Shropshire. Wonderful evocative nocturnal painting...
Oil
Modern Figurative Impressionist Oil Painting of Flamenco Dancer (The Temptress)
Located in ludlow, GB
Modern Figurative Impressionist Oil Painting of Flamenco Dancer (The Temptress). A Large Oil Study of a Flamenco Dancer striking three different poses. This Oil Painting produced a ...
Oil
An Unfrequented Harbor
Located in Milford, NH
A fine impressionist marine painting of a harbor on Cape Ann, Massachusetts by American artist Harry Aiken Vincent (1867-1933). Vincent was Born in...
Canvas, Oil
Trees by the Water III, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
"Trees by the Water III" is an extra large contemporary-impressionistic painting measuring 130 x 160 x 2 cm. The artwork will be carefully shipped in a rolled state, excluding any w...
Oil
Flowering tree, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Bring the beauty of spring into your home with this original oil painting of a flowering tree. The delicate pink flowers pop against the blue sky background, creating a serene and tr...
Oil