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.
Artist Comments
Artist Carey Parks illustrates a crowd of pedestrians crossing the street. She captures the image on a bright and sunny but cold Saturday in New York City. "The...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Carey Parks illustrates an impressionist still-life of two sunflowers in a glass vase. The oblique elongated stems create a ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Lisa Elley captures the vibrant beauty of the South San Francisco Bay through the mesmerizing allure of California poppies. Painted en plein air, the piece reflects the enchanting scene of a sun-kissed meadow. A kaleidoscope of flowers dances in the gentle breeze. She paints with thick impasto to depict the extraordinarily rich flora.
About the Artist
Artist Lisa Elley produces sweeping impressionist views and rich geographies with lush textures. Growing up on a little farm in New Zealand surrounded by rolling green, she became greatly influenced by her surroundings. This instilled a remarkable ingenuity in her leading her to pursue a fine arts degree at the University of Auckland. Passionate about experiencing new things, she moved to London, New York, Florida, and ultimately the San Francisco Bay Area, where she now resides. She works at her studio inside an old cannery in San Jose with perfect natural light, 30-foot ceilings, and infinite possibilities. She cultivates her skillful command with a palette that allows her to maneuver her artistic blade with fluidity. “I am drawn to them over brushes as they create an amazing sense of movement with the beautiful texture they evoke,†shares Lisa. An award-winning artist, her works have been represented by galleries all over the globe and have also been featured in distinguished publications. Lisa savors the quality time she spends with her family during her free time.
Words that describe this painting: poppy...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Faye Vander Veer creates a warm restaurant interior with ambient lighting and muted colors. She emphasizes more detail in the areas of interest while kee...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Sherri Aldawood presents an impressionist still life of vibrant sunflowers and a few pickings of fruit. The subjects bask in the afternoon light, casting...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Siyuan Ma illustrates the Shanhua Temple, located inside the ancient city of Datong in Shanxi Province–a key cultural relic under state-level protecti...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Mid-19th Century Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Siyuan Ma depicts Shanhua Temple, located inside the ancient city of Datong in Shanxi Province–a key cultural relic under state-level protection. "Sha...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Artist Maurice Dionne paints a bridge on a bright day with people enjoying the sound of rushing water. "The pumphouse feeds water from Ottawa's canal system int...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Artist Siyuan Ma exhibits the Shanhua Temple, located inside the ancient city of Datong in Shanxi Province–a key cultural relic under state-level protection....
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Artist Carey Parks displays a family of three frolicking on the beach. "In addition to capturing people in the city, one of the best places is at the beach beca...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist John Jaster paints a relaxing summer day with waves crashing just beyond the warm shore. A bicycle leans against a bench, where between the bench slats...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist George Peebles presents a glorious coastal line in the style of impressionism. "Personal space at the beach," says George. The cool blue and purple hues ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Carey Parks depicts three kids standing outside a suburban neighborhood. She uses an old family photo to capture the essence o...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
19th Century Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Pat Doherty presents an assortment of four mini fruit tarts—blueberry, kiwi, raspberry, and pineapple in a balanced arrangement. Her delectable oil p...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Shela Goodman paints a silhouette of a man in his boat, floating peacefully on a bright still lake. With his motor engine up and rope in his hands, he ap...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Colette Wirz Nauke paints a bird roosting on a tree branch. Purple and violet flowers envelop the trunks and branches, highlighting the beauty of the blo...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Carey Parks shares a striking viewpoint of a busy day at an urban crosswalk. She illustrates numerous people hurriedly crossin...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
1950s Impressionist More Art
Paper, Pastel
Artist Comments
Artist Catherine McCargar illustrates alluring red flowers in a background of white. She captures the delicacy and transparency of gorgeous poppies she noticed in a local public garden. She creates a somewhat stylized arrangement of blooming stems. "It is punctuated by the addition of the buds as they dangle before bursting forth the seed capsules that remain after the petals drop," says Catherine.
About the Artist
Impressionist Catherine McCargar expresses her deep admiration of nature through landscape paintings of Northern California...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer illustrates a lovely spring day in Provence with flourishing pear, cherry, and almond trees. She captures the essence of the season with a vib...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist George Peebles presents a sweeping view of the coast with an impressionist approach. A special place to gather your thoughts. Sky, sea, and sand create a...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Inspired after a trip to The New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx, artist Onelio Marrero shares a view of a person taking a break on a park bench. The idea o...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Maurice Dionne paints a trio exploring the Mer Bleu Bog in an unexpected nature escape in Ottawa. "Located in the east end of the city, this unique bog p...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Early 1900s Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Yangzi Xu depicts a breathtaking evening scene at dusk on Wacker Drive, Chicago. "The lights of the city are on, creating a mesmerizing effervescence tha...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"The Crescent Hotel, built in 1938, is one of the famous Art Deco buildings in Miami's South Beach," shares artist John Jaster. He pictures the historical archi...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
1970s Impressionist More Art
Oil, Cardboard
Artist Comments
Artist Judy Mackey exhibits a glorious display of the United States flag. "Being an expatriate growing up in a foreign country gave me a deep love for our US fl...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Lisa Elley presents a gorgeous view of lupines and daisies overlooking a tranquil seascape. "California explodes with color in the springtime, and occasi...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer presents a panoramic scene flourishing with pink blossoming trees. "I love painting trees in spring," shares Janet. She captures the beauty of a grove nearby a parking lot. The expressive paint application builds up the atmosphere of the wind rustling through the leaves.
About the Artist
Janet Dyer doesn’t like to spend too much time talking about her art, as she’d rather be creating it. She doesn’t have an artist statement, the traditional statement of purpose crafted by visual artists to explain their method. On becoming an artist, Janet simply states, “I picked up some crayons and pencils and brushes and kept using them.†She believes the process of creating art is equal in importance to the final product. The artist enjoys relinquishing control of her paintings to find delightful surprises in her so-called “mistakes.†Janet's expressively gestural yet bucolic landscapes are a testament to the success of her method.
Words that describe this painting: landscape, spring, blossoms, trees, panoramic, small, woods, grove, acrylicpaint, impressionism, landscape, acrylic painting, green
Pink Trees...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Lisa Elley paints a sweeping view of an impressionist seascape in bright and summery colors. She paints this charming coastal piece en plein air at Daven...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Pat Doherty presents an assortment of sushi and nigiri rolls displayed on a wooden block. "In creating my paintings, I draw on my experience as a former ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Maurice Dionne paints an impressionist cityscape with cool tones. He presents the view in delicate strokes and detailed brushwork, showing depth and dist...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Artist Mary Pratt features poppies grown from seeds she brought back from South Korea. "The poppy's tissue-like petals and long stems make for a striking compos...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Faye Vander Veer depicts a tender story of a young mother and her child standing together at the water's edge. The setting evokes the sense of a cool day...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Early 20th Century Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Maurice Dionne illustrates crowds of people walking along the street in an impressionistic representation. "Nimbus describes the luminous cloud or atmosp...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Artist Benjamin Thomas depicts a luminous sky with tonal hues of grey with soft purple accents. Finally, he paints his favorite color in a sky painting. "My dog...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Acrylic
Early 20th Century Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Pat Doherty presents raspberry, kiwi, and blueberry mini tarts, lined up on a neutral background. Her delectable oil paintings draw on her experience a...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Lisa Nielsen presents a delicate portrait of a nude woman. The model stretches into a quiet moment but with a dash of fantasy. Lisa offers a tender momen...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
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...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Shela Goodman presents a majestic scene with a golden glow reflecting on the lake's still water. The sun gently sets, cradled between hills and trees. It...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
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 t...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Early 20th Century Impressionist More Art
Pastel, Paper
Artist Comments
Artist Catherine McCargar presents a bright and lively impressionist rendering of flowers and leaves. They bloom profusely in a garden, celebrating abundance and color. The flowers, dahlias, roses, and pansies, growing so closely together, resemble a bouquet. "I am equally interested in gardening pursuits as I am in creating paintings," shares Catherine.
About the Artist
Impressionist Catherine McCargar expresses her deep admiration of nature through landscape paintings of Northern California. While she is well-versed in a range of media, her preferred medium for painting is watercolor. The fluidity of the paint allows her to capture the muted undertones and the fleeting light found in the natural world. While the backgrounds of her paintings are impressionistic, the foregrounds of her paintings are often highly detailed, showcasing her technical mastery over her medium.
Words that describe this painting: flora, nature, garden, roses, spring, summer, season, flora, flowers, dahlia, pansy, pansies, botanical, watercolor, paper, impressionism, impressionism, flora, watercolor painting, green
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Artist Judy Mackey paints an impressionist still life of a bright red daisy in a vase. "I happened on a Gerber Daisy that had a broke...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Pat Doherty paints three California sushi rolls on a green plate with chopsticks. "In creating my paintings, I draw on my experience as a former commer...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Shela Goodman paints bright and colorful sunflowers in a blue vase. The impressionist still life captures the simplicity and beauty of nature. Shela pain...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
In the style of impressionism, artist Judy Mudd presents a harmonious pastoral landscape. She paints an Amish farm in Pennsylvania nestled in lush foliage. "I...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Artist Judy Mudd presents a beautiful old house near her home. The structure us isolated by surrounding developments in an industrial park. She highlights the s...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Watercolor
Early 20th Century Impressionist More Art
Oil, Board
Artist Comments
Artist Shela Goodman presents a view of an old swinging bridge over a quiet river. The image plays with the viewer's imagination and challenges them with their personal insight. "The wonder of what is on the other side of the tree and what may be in the distance," says Shela. She skillfully balances the relationship between light and shadow to depict the depth and dimensions of the scene.
About the Artist
Words that describe this painting: bridge, landscape, river, tree, fog, mist, riverbank, water, impressionism, oilpaint, perspective, impressionism, nature, oil painting, brown
Bridge Over the River...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Faye Vander Veer presents an old white shingled farmhouse with a tin roof. The piece evokes a strong sense of nostalgia that reminds of simpler times bef...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist More Art
Oil
