Impressionist 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.
1990s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
In Sri Rao's charming depiction, the contrasting beauty of a summer morning before a thunderstorm emerges in vibrant colors. "Birds start...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Alix Palo presents an alluring still life of ranunculus flowers in a glass vase. The painting exudes vitality, blooming in coral, red, and yellow hues. T...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Acrylic
1990s Impressionist Art
Cardboard, Oil
Early 20th Century Impressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Linen, Panel, Oil
Early 20th Century Impressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero paints a majestic sunrise on Long Island with vibrant colors and rich brushwork. "I am always up early to witness the morning skies wherev...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Oil
Artist Comments
An enthralling view of the Red Mountain Pass during the fall season displays rich hues of greens and yellows. The dark, shifting clouds and turning aspens add a...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1930s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
"I worked to expound upon the beauty of magnificent colors at dusk," says artist Mary Pratt. In this painting, she captures the breathtaking backwater sunset...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist David Thelen captures a timber laying on the green meadow. "I wonder about the purpose of the tree being cut and abandoned in the woods," says David. The...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Pastel, Paper
Artist Comments
"Thunder only happens when it's going to rain," says artist Valerie Berkely. The shoreline exudes a moody ambiance with its hues of purple and blue illuminated ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Oil
1940s Impressionist Art
Linen, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Lisa Elley shows her signature palette knife trees textured with deep impasto strokes. The foliage exhibits subtle movement and richness in colors. Lisa'...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1940s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
"I often wander in the woods and discover unexpected treasures," says artist David Thelen. He captures an old truck parked on a dirt road that winds through the...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Cardboard, Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
In this painting, artist David Thelen portrays an abandoned equipment he came across in the woods. "I was captivated by the colors and silhouette of the machine...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"Letchworth State Park is one of my favorite places to draw inspiration from," says artist David Thelen. Towering trees take center stage in the composition. Th...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Oil
Early 20th Century Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Inspired by memory and photos taken on a hiking trip, artist David Thelen captures the woodland's moody atmosphere. Barren trees loom along the rocky trail, whi...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"I came across an old tractor parked in someone's yard and wanted to capture its current state with all of its dignity," shares artist David Thelen. The vehicle...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Oil
1950s Impressionist Art
Etching
1970s Impressionist Art
Oil, Canvas
Artist Comments
Artist Alix Palo portrays roses in vibrant shades of red and orange, capturing their essence expressively and loosely. The blooms lay in a bed of viridian and g...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Impressionist Art
Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Paper, Pastel
1930s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Impressionist Art
Oil, Board, Canvas
Artist Comments
Artist Colette Wirz Nauke paints a bird perched on a tree. Plump red berries adorn the meandering branches, creating a sense of movement and vitality to the pie...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Impressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Valerie Berkely offers a dreamy, atmospheric scene that guides the eyes toward the distant horizon. The rich pastel hues evoke a sense of autumn tranquil...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Art
Oil
2010s Impressionist Art
Oil
