impressionism

impressionism Major French anti-academic art movement of the late 19th century, gaining its name from a painting by Monet entitled Impression, Sunrise (1874). In the words of Monet, the movement's leading painter, impressionists aimed to create “a spontaneous work rather than a calculated one”. In the 1860s, Monet, Renoir, Sisley and Frédéric Bazille formed a close-knit group exploring the possibilities of painting outdoors and closely analysing and interpreting the effects of light on nature. The first impressionist exhibition took place in 1874. Although not accepted at first, Impressionism became widely influential from the late 1880s and spread throughout Europe. Degas and Pissarro were prominent Impressionists and Cézanne exhibited with them twice. Manet was influenced by, and in turn influenced, Impressionism. Other Impressionists include Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt. Rodin has been called Impressionist because of his interest in the effects of light on his sculpture. In music, the term Impressionism refers to a period lasting from roughly 1890 to 1930, and is usually applied to the work of Claude Debussy. It tends to be subtle and atmospheric rather than overtly emotional. Many composers were influenced by Debussy, including Maurice Ravel and Frederick Delius. See also Romanticism