Impressionist More Art
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.
Early 20th Century Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
This scene captures a quiet moment inside an antiques shop. A man pauses mid-step, drawn to two framed water lily paintings. As any regular shopper knows, the t...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Late 19th Century Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A bowl of pears and oranges, along with two pottery pieces, rests on a wooden table. A landscape painting hangs on the wall, adding charm to the still life. The...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
1980s Impressionist More Art
Paper, Watercolor
Late 20th Century Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Two trees stand under the sun and cast cool shadows onto the grass. The trunks and foliage catch the light, making the scene glow and feel alive. Painted with a...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Soft evening colors highlight the beauty of the American desert. A gentle and warm palette creates an airy feeling that suggests an open space. The quiet energy...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A romantic scene unfolds outside the Le News Café in Paris. A waiter serves a couple against the backdrop of the bustling city. Artist James Nyika's skillful...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer shows a verdant landscape in Provence near the home of her good friend. Mountains tower in the distance creating a striking panoramic view. ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A nude female figure reclines in a wooden chair, her posture evoking artist James McNeill Whistler's iconic painting of his mother. The soft interplay of ligh...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
1910s Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Rovinj, Croatia, is an enchanting village with a charming downtown. In this scene, a winding cobblestone street leads to a church, its steeple rising graceful...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
1980s Impressionist More Art
Oil, Egg Tempera, Board
Artist Comments
Working on the subject of water lilies and sunset reflections, artist Onelio Marrero portrays a pond mirroring the colors of the sk...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A vibrant produce market bustles in the town of Amarante, Portugal. Along the street, a vendor engages with customers, encouraging them to take a potted plant o...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist More Art
Oil, Panel
Artist Comments
A dreamlike mountain vista shrouded in mist and drifting light. Atmospheric layers of fog roll over forested hills and snowy valleys, while beams of soft light ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Set against the sleek lines of a modern cafe, this piece captures the quiet humanity behind the counter. The barista—mid-sip or lost in thought—becomes a fi...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
1880s Impressionist More Art
Earthenware, Glaze
Artist Comments
A charming vintage home nestles among rows of grapevines, surrounded by the golden and green hues of harvest season. Artist Catherine McCargar painted the scene...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil, Panel
Artist Comments
Artist Siyuan Ma exhibits a panoramic view of mountains engulfed by a mysterious fog. He presents aesthetic imagery that can take the viewer into a dreamlike ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Step onto the marbled streets of Rovinj, Croatia, and hear the soothing sound of the rain. The painting captures a tranquil spring afternoon, with shoppers le...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Karen d'Angeac Mihm grew up often visiting Saint Paul de Vence in the South of France. The place has a rich history that dates back centuries. It is we...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Evening light casts a golden glow across the Arizona desert, illuminating tall saguaro cacti that reach skyward. In the distance, soft purple mountains provide ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil, Wood Panel
1980s Impressionist More Art
Oil, Panel
Artist Comments
Parisian rooftops stand out with their distinctive charm, making the city's skyline instantly recognizable. The architecture, rich with patina, blends turquoise...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A sweeping lake view shimmers beneath a bright blue sky, where radiant orange clouds glow in the early morning sun. Artist Drew Noel Marin, a native of Michigan...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Siyuan Ma illustrates the Mingtang in the ancient city of Datong, Shanxi Province–a national key cultural protected site. "It is one of the four grea...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Mountains inspire, intimidate, shape weather, shelter wildlife, and hold secrets. This piece draws inspiration from artist Melissa Gannon's trip to the Wallow...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
An aerial view reveals a patchwork of farmland in the Midwest. A blue lake nestles among the green fields, mirroring the soft hues of the horizon. The compositi...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Weathered barns stand quietly under a bright, open sky, their faded wood telling stories of time and use. Overgrown grass softens the worn edges of the structur...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Early 1900s Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
1890s Impressionist More Art
Oil, Panel
Artist Comments
Bluebonnets bloom in a tranquil Texan meadow beneath a soft, sunny sky. Vibrant shades of green and blue fill the foreground, bringing the wildflowers to life. ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Early 20th Century Impressionist More Art
Paper, Pastel
Artist Comments
An assortment of flowers bursts from a vase in this predominantly cool composition of blues and greens. The swirling botanical pattern on the tablecloth echoe...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil, Panel
Artist Comments
A morning fog blankets the lake, bathed in the soft red-pink glow of the first dawn. Light floods the sky, casting the shadowed trees in silhouette. Reflections...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Early 20th Century Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Soft strokes capture the atmospheric view of Molokini and the ever-changing sky of Maui. The pastel clouds shift constantly above the blue water. Artist Karen E...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Rendered in bold strokes and a vivid, expressive palette, this acrylic painting captures the focused intensity of a horse mid-match. The cropped composition dra...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Shallow bay waters meet the quiet shoreline. Trees line the edge while rocks dot the foreground. Artist Andres Lopez painted the scene in plein air. His impress...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Waves crash softly against a towering rock formation at El Matador Beach in Malibu. The sunlight illuminates the coastal scene, casting reflections on the wat...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A field of tulips bursts into bloom along Chicago’s iconic Michigan Avenue. The softened architecture glows under a pastel-hued sky, while rich strokes of pin...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Mountains rise with an imposing presence, dominating the evening landscape of Teton National Park. A vibrant treeline in the foreground glows with rich autumn h...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil, Canvas
Artist Comments
A young woman sits on the grass, deeply engrossed in painting the scenery before her. Loose brushwork and palette knife techniques bring to life the graceful ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Siyuan Ma shares a view of the Hanging Temple, a famous cultural landmark in China. Its Chinese name takes the character "Xuan" from Chinese Taoism an...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
