Impressionism in Fine Art: Characteristics, Artists, Famous Paintings

Impressionism originated in France between 1860 and 1870 , and later spread to large parts of Europe in the 1890s.

Impressionism reached its peak between 1863 and 1883. Even before this, it had been influenced by its leading figures, Claude Monet , Édouard Manet , and Edgar Degas . Impressionism exerted a strong influence on subsequent art movements , and many artists remained true to it even during the Expressionist .

Discover with us the beauty of Impressionism , a groundbreaking art movement characterized by the depiction of fleeting impressions and the interplay of light and color.

Artists such as Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Berthe Morisot and Pierre-Auguste Renoir  fascinating paintings in this stylistic period of visual art , capturing the beauty of everyday life and nature.

Impressionism: A brief introduction

Impressionism was a revolutionary art movement of the 19th century that ushered in a new era in painting. The Impressionists wanted not only to depict external reality, but above all the impressions and moods they felt when viewing a subject. Light and color played a central role in this.

The term Impressionism as a style originates from the French word "impression ," meaning "impression." The art movement was specifically named after Claude Monet's painting "Impression, Sunrise," which was presented at the first exhibition of the new movement in Paris in 1874.

An art critic at the time used the title mockingly to describe the entire style, but the artists themselves adopted the term for their movement. Impressionism is generally placed between 1860 and 1920.

What was special about this art movement was that the artists began to consciously observe their perception . Parallel to the advent of photography, the meticulous depiction of motifs no longer seemed important.

They recognized that the contours of objects are created by individual consciousness. In fact, the eye primarily perceives colors and shapes – contours are merely interpretations. The Impressionists strove to return to “pure perception” and to depict reality in its unadulterated form.

The Impressionist painters were fascinated by the effects of light. To reproduce natural light in their paintings, they developed a new technique using small strokes and dots . This resulted in a special lightness and dynamism in their works.

The Impressionists mostly worked outdoors or in their studios to take advantage of changing light. Some artists painted the same subject at different times of day or seasons to capture the variations. To achieve this, they developed new techniques for working with paint in order to softer contours .

They recognized that perception changes rapidly from moment to moment and that it is impossible to fully capture any one moment. Therefore, they used a fast painting style to record their impressions before they were lost. The Impressionists valued pure observation without interpretation or construction.

With these focal points and characteristics, Impressionism became the starting point of modern painting .

Typical motifs in their art included landscapes and boulevard scenes with elegantly dressed ladies, as well as depictions of dancers and women at their toilette. They also often incorporated motifs from everyday life, such as Parisian city life.

One of the most famous exhibitions of this period was the Third Independent Art Exhibition in Paris in 1877. There, the works of the Impressionists were presented to the public for the first time. It was a step that revolutionized the art world and paved the way for the success of Impressionism.

Auguste Rodin is considered a leading figure of Impressionism in sculpture. This art style is characterized, particularly sculptures restless, textured surface . In photography, Impressionism is more commonly known as Pictorialism .

The Pictorialists were the first to experiment with color photography and appreciated blurred images. One of the most important photographers of Impressionism around 1900 was Heinrich Kühn (1866-1944), who was based in Vienna.

If you'd like to learn more about Impressionism, just keep reading! In the following sections, we'll delve deeper and take a closer look at the characteristics, artists, and most famous works of Impressionism.

Forerunners and pioneers

The Romantic painters Eugène Delacroix , John Constable , William Turner , and Richard Parkes Bonington , as well as the artists of the Barbizon School and the Honfleur painters, were important forerunners of Impressionism. Charles-François Daubigny was described as the leader of a “school of impressionism,” although his compositional schemes were still academic and classical. Nevertheless, he exhibited landscape sketches at the Salon, which made him a precursor of Impressionism.

As early as the 18th century, England showed a greater openness to landscape painting compared to France. This enthusiasm was probably influenced by the English landscape garden, which resembled a natural environment, as well as by early industrialization.

Artists such as Constable, Turner, and Richard Parkes Bonington strove in their works to combine scientific accuracy (see Constable's cloud studies) with atmosphere and mood. The gradually dissolving motifs into clouds of color in William Turner's paintings, in particular, exemplify this idea. The painter's focus was on capturing the effect of the landscape and depicting it skillfully and precisely.

John Constable worked primarily in Suffolk and the area around London. He was inspired by the detailed realism, subtle color nuances, brightness, and undramatic motifs of 17th-century Dutch landscape painting. From the 1820s onward, his works were also known in Paris, where he received the gold medal at the Salon "Haywain"

The painters of the Barbizon School, such as Camille Corot and Jean-François Daubigny, depicted the Barbizon Forest, rural life, and animals in their landscapes. Jean-François Daubigny was particularly known for his atmospheric, sketch-like landscapes.

Gustave Courbet focused on forest and rocky landscapes in the Jura Mountains, using oil paint as his medium and influencing future Impressionists. These, in turn, were inspired by Baroque painters such as Frans Hals and Diego Velázquez.

The Honfleur School on the Côte de Grâce consisted mainly of the artists Eugène Boudin and Johan Barthold Jongkind. Boudin lived a modest life in Honfleur and was Monet's first teacher. His paintings are characterized by beach and seascapes, as well as Corot's admiration for their "meteorological beauties.".

Details on the naming of Impressionism

Impressionism got its name – as mentioned at the beginning – because of a devastating critique by Louis Leroy during the first group exhibition of the painters later known as the “Impressionists” in 1874.

The artists had organized the exhibition themselves in Nadar's Paris studio, as they had not been admitted to the Salon. The initiative of the 30 exhibiting artists called the “Société anonyme des artistes peintres, sculpteurs, graveurs” , which means something like Society of Independent Artists.

The art critic Louis Leroy coined the term Impressionism by expanding the title of Claude Monet's work “Impression: Soleil levant” (1872) into a group and style term.

The dominance of the term Impressionism was facilitated, not least, by the fact that the artists themselves could not find a name of their own for their movement. The term "Impression" describes the subjective perception of the world before a rational processing of sensory impressions begins. This definition was already established in aesthetic discourse.

In the 19th century, the term “Impression” – as well as “Pochade” – was used to quick sketches that captured a first, immediate impression of the subject. In contrast, “Étude” a slower and more precise rendering of the subject.

Monet transformed the sketch into a work of art by presenting it in exhibitions. The art critic Leroy viewed the sketchy work as a naive vision that the artist had not yet brought into an ordered and rational form.

The rumor persists to this day that Impressionist paintings were created spontaneously.

As early as 1877, the critic Frédéric Chevalier aptly observed that the impression of spontaneity created by the Impressionists stemmed from their rough craftsmanship. The seemingly random perspective of their works was, in fact, an expression of deliberately induced disjointedness.

Key influences on the development of Impressionism

Most of the founding fathers of Impressionism were still in their twenties, with the exception of Pissarro, who was already in his thirties, and were in the process of developing their style . Monet developed a particular interest in the innovative painters Eugène Boudin and Johan Barthold Jongkind , who captured fleeting effects of the sea and sky with their color-intensive and structurally differentiated painting techniques.

Together with his studio friends at Gleyre, Monet adopted Boudin's method of painting exclusively outdoors – plein air painting (from the French: en plein air: "in the open air") – and observing the actual scene directly, instead of completing a painting based on sketches in the studio. After Gleyre closed his studio in 1864, Monet, Renoir, Sisley, and Bazille temporarily moved to the Forest of Fontainebleau, where they devoted themselves to plein air painting.

The Forest of Fontainebleau had previously attracted other artists, including Théodore Rousseau and Jean-François Millet, who emphasized that art should reflect the reality of everyday life.

Gleyre's studio and the students of the Académie Suisse were all inspired by the renowned artist Édouard Manet , who himself followed the example of the realist painter Gustave Courbet and objectively depicted modern themes. In Manet's art, traditional subject matter receded into the background in favor of current events and circumstances of his time, while attention was focused on the deliberate manipulation of color, tone, and texture as an end in itself for the artist.

The motif became a means for artful compositions of flat color fields and precise brushstrokes, minimizing perspective depth. This placed the focus on the surface patterns and relationships within the painting, rather than on the illusory three-dimensional space.

Pissarro and the younger artists met with Manet and Degas at the Café Guerbois around 1866.

The Impressionists' breaking of taboos

Not only the artistic technique, but also the choice of subject matter in the paintings was criticized. Suddenly, realistic depictions of life were presented, which appeared inaccurate and superficial to the public.

Some motifs were considered immoral and scandalous because they addressed taboo subjects, such as Edouard Manet's "Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe" from 1863. The Impressionists encountered little understanding for their painting style among art collectors and Parisian salons, which led them to organize their own exhibitions.

Gustave Courbet presented his works “Burial at Ornans” (1858) and “The Studio” (1863) in his own “Pavillon du Réalisme .” Works by Manet, Whistler, Cézanne, and Pissarro also failed to gain recognition at the Salon. When the jury accepted only a third of the 5,000 submissions to the Salon in 1863, it caused a great uproar and forced Emperor Napoleon III to intervene.

Before the opening, he visited the exhibition and examined all the rejected works. The Emperor decreed that the "rejected" artists should have their own exhibition at the Palais de l'Industrie: the Salon des Refusés [Salon of the Rejected]. However, many artists refused to participate for fear of rejection.

Napoleon III softened the jury's verdict by allowing the rejected works to be exhibited. The jury chairman, Count Nieuwerkerke, hung them in the Salon des Refusés, hoping for public disapproval. Some 40,000 visitors saw, among other works, Édouard Manet's "Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe" and James McNeill Whistler's "Symphony in White, No. 1: The White Girl" (1861), both of which caused scandals.

Although there was no further Salon des Refusés, it significantly undermined the dominance of the Salon and the Académie. In the following years, more and more artists joined together to form self-organized exhibition associations (e.g., the Société des Artistes Indépendants , founded in 1884 and important for Neo-Impressionism; the Salon d'Automne , founded in 1903 and important for the first presentations of Fauvism and Cubism).

After several years, the Impressionists achieved success. The intellectual classes, in particular, appreciated and acquired Impressionist works, which led to the widespread dissemination of Impressionism.

Important exhibitions, groups and associations

In the 1860s, the works of most avant-garde artists were accepted into the Salon , the state-sponsored annual public exhibition in Paris. However, towards the end of the decade, they were regularly rejected. The artists recognized the injustice of the Salon's jury system and the disadvantages that smaller paintings like their own faced at Salon exhibitions.

There were plans to organize a separate exhibition, but the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71) interrupted these plans. Frédéric Bazille , who led the efforts, was killed in action.

At the end of 1873, talks resumed and the Société Anonyme Coopérative d'Artistes-Peintres, Sculpteurs etc. was founded. Its members included Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Pissarro, Degas, and Morisot, another avant-garde artist introduced to the group by Manet. The collective aimed to organize exhibitions, sell artworks, and publish a journal.

The Société Anonyme deliberately chose a name that did not suggest a particular art school. For its first exhibition in 1874, the members invited a wide variety of artists from their network. Although Manet chose not to participate, about 30 artists accepted the invitation, resulting in a diverse presentation of various styles and media.

Some critics praised the group's efforts to distinguish themselves from the mainstream, but the majority were unconvinced by the art and wrote harsh critiques. Monet's 1872 painting "Impression, Sunrise" earned the group the derisive nickname "Impressionists," coined by journalist Louis Leroy in the satirical magazine Le Charivari in 1874.

Financially, the exhibition was not a success and ultimately led to the dissolution of the Société Anonyme.

In the following years, some of the artists who founded the Société Anonyme between 1876 and 1886 organized seven more exhibitions . Participation varied, with some artists, including Cézanne and Guillaumin, wavering early on. During the preparation of each exhibition, disagreements arose between the groups regarding the use of the term "Impressionism" and the associated stylistic unity, leading to some particularly heated arguments during the last three exhibitions.

Over the years of the exhibitions, the participants developed their own personal and individual styles, but they are all united by the principles of freedom from technology, a personal rather than a conventional approach to themes, and the accurate representation of nature.

The Impressionists dissolved in the early 1880s, as each artist increasingly pursued their own aesthetic interests and principles. Despite their short existence, the group spearheaded a revolution in art history , laying the technical foundations for artists such as Cézanne, Gauguin, Georges Seurat, and Vincent van Gogh , as well as the Post-Impressionist movement.

Impressionism opened up the possibility for later artists in Western painting to deviate from traditional techniques and approaches to the subjects.

Features and characteristics – How can you recognize Impressionist paintings?

Typical of Impressionism are compositions that are open and light, created through visible yet delicate brushstrokes. Particular importance is attached to the accurate rendering of light in its changing qualities.

The impressionistic painting style makes nature comprehensible and graspable, but not in the usual naturalistic method, rather with a technique that seems to dissolve contours.

Impressionism: Vibrant Colors

Impressionism was characterized by technical prerequisites such as synthetic paints stored in tin tubes, portable easels, pre-primed canvases, and parasols. The latter served not only to protect against sunlight but also to preserve the inherent light of the colors.

The invention of synthetic paints enabled painters to paint directly outdoors. Impressionism was characterized above all by its bright, vibrant colors .

In contrast to Realism and Salon painting, dark colors were avoided. Instead, chrome yellow, orange and pink tones, green, and ultramarine were used more frequently. The proportion of lead white, used to lighten the colors, also increased.

Loose brushstrokes and spontaneous application of paint

The way Impressionists painted is distinctive and often recognizable by their brushwork . Compared to the smooth and barely visible brushstrokes in Romantic and Realist paintings, Impressionists used a looser and bolder brushstroke .

They often used shorter brushstrokes and placed colors with different nuances next to each other.

The colors were mixed as little as possible on the canvas in order simultaneous contrast and make the colors appear more vibrant. Another technique used by Impressionist artists to emphasize the vibrancy of the colors was painting on a white canvas.

Image composition and perspective

In Impressionism, the detailed definition of a painting was not paramount. Instead, the focus was on loose and visible brushstrokes, which blurred the clarity of the forms.

This allowed the most important elements to be distinguished from the less important ones, as was the case in realistic and romantic paintings. The Impressionist painters also abandoned the three-dimensional perspective and the depiction of perfection and symmetry that had been popular earlier periods

For the artists of Impressionism, the challenge was to depict the world as it actually appeared to them.

They recognized the beauty in the imperfections and momentary changes of the world around us.
To pursue this approach, a new practice became popular among Impressionist painters: painting en plein air , that is, outdoors at the scene of the event.

Monet and other artists discovered that by painting within their natural surroundings, they could better capture a single, imperfect moment. In this way, they were able to achieve a more intimate understanding of the world.

Choice of motifs and themes in Impressionist paintings

Besides the art form, study of modern life was also a central concern for Impressionists , as Charles Baudelaire had once demanded.

Their thematic range encompassed landscapes, figure paintings, portraits , and still lifes , and they were united not only in their painting style but also in their rejection of historical or literary subjects . The artists thus felt connected to one another in many ways.

Often, the leisure activities of the wealthy bourgeoisie , from which most Impressionists came, served as motifs in their works.

This included entertainment venues , opera houses (with dancers and opera boxes), busy boulevards in Paris , sailing and rowing boats , as well as summer holidays on land and sea .

Fashion, racetracks, gardens and parks also featured in Impressionist paintings.

female painters of Impressionism mainly devoted themselves domestic world and female themes such as motherhood and portraits of family members .

Japanese influences

The content of Impressionist paintings may not have been revolutionary, but the composition certainly was. The boundaries between figures and background blurred , making the figures appear more as part of a larger picture than as the main subject.

The scenes appeared as if captured in a single moment – ​​a snapshot – and not staged. This innovative approach coincided with the advent of photography and was inspired by Japanese Ukiyo-e art prints.

The Ukiyo-e style used foreshortening and asymmetry to evoke movement and action in a scene. For Impressionist artists, this technique from the East became a crucial tool in the discovery of a new, modern style of painting.

Impressionism in Germany

The Macchiaioli were a group of Italian artists who settled in Tuscany in the second half of the 19th century. Active more than ten years before the French Impressionists, they were influenced by various 19th-century painters such as Camille Corot, Gustave Courbet, and the Barbizon School.

They drew particular inspiration from visits to Paris, especially the 1855 World's Fair. Their work encompasses battle scenes from the Risorgimento, military motifs, as well as landscapes and scenes from peasant and bourgeois life.

They are best known for their small, sketch-like paintings, which earned them their nickname (the “Macchia” refers to sketchy color compositions). Giovanni Fattori's painting “La Rotonda dei Bagni Palmieri” .

Important Impressionist artists from Italy:

• Giuseppe Abbati (1836–1868)
• Odoardo Borrani (1833–1905)
• Guglielmo Ciardi (1842–1917)
• Giovanni Fattori (1825–1908)
• Pietro Fragiacomo (1856–1922)
• Eugenio Gignous (1850–1906)
• Silvestro Lega (1826–1895)
• Giuseppe de Nittis (1846–1884)
• Andrea Pavanello (1842–1906)
• Daniele Ranzoni (1843–1889)
• Raffaello Sernesi (1838–1866)
• Telemaco Signorini (1835–1901)

Impressionism in Spain

Impressionism, an artistic movement imported from France, was reflected in Spain from around 1880, and especially from 1900 onwards. One of the most important representatives of Spanish Impressionism is undoubtedly Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863-1923), who hailed from Valencia. His works are characterized by their light-filled coastal scenes, capturing spontaneous moments of leisure activities.

But not only Sorolla, but also artists like Eliseo Meifren y Priog , Santiago Rusigñol y Prat , and Joaquín Mir Trixet contributed significantly to the fascination with Spanish Impressionism with their garden and genre paintings. The diversity of styles and motifs within this movement reflects the artistic vitality and creativity of this era.

Important Impressionist painters from Spain:

• Aureliano de Beruete (1845–1912)
• Francisco Domingo (1842–1920)
• Marià Fortuny (1838–1874)
• Francisco Gimeno Arasa (1858–1927)
• Carlos de Haes (1826–1898)
• Joaquim Mir (1873–1940)
• Ignacio Pinazo (1849–1916)
• Dario de Regoyos Valdes (1857–1913)
• Martín Rico y Ortega (1833–1908)
• Joaquín Sorolla (1863–1923)

Impressionism in Great Britain

The close connection between French artists and those living in Great Britain played a crucial role in spreading French Impressionism across the English Channel. James McNeill Whistler and John Singer Sargent . Their influence was formative for the development of British Impressionism.

A pioneer in this field was the painter Walter Sickert , who first visited Degas's studio in 1883 and received important inspiration as a result. The founding of the New English Art Club in 1885, with the participation of John Singer Sargent, Stanhope Forbes, and Thomas Cooper Gotch, provided a platform for artists such as Sickert, Philip Wilson Steer, Frederick Brown, Theodore Roussel, and Bernhard Sickert to present their work to a wider audience.

However, a controversy over the direction of the NEAC led to the "London Impressionists" leaving the group and instead presenting their own exhibition at the Goupil Gallery These developments contributed significantly to the establishment and recognition of British Impressionism.

Important Impressionist painters from Great Britain:

• George Clausen (1852–1944)
• Wynford Dewhurst (1864–1941)
• Augustus Edwin John (1878–1961)
• Henry Herbert La Thangue (1859–1926)
• John Lavery (1856–1941)
• William Orpen (1878–1931)
• William MacTaggart (1835–1910)
• Philip Wilson Steer (1860–1942)
• James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834–1903)

Impressionism in Russia

Impressionism in Russia is associated with a multitude of talented artists, including famous names such as Ilya Repin, Isaac Levitan , and especially Valentin Serov and Konstantin Korovin . It was from the 1880s onward that Russian artists, who broadened their training through travels to Western Europe, particularly Italy and France – including Paris – became increasingly fascinated by the influences of Impressionism.

This new artistic movement was characterized by a striking application of paint and the use of lighter hues. However, unlike in other countries, Impressionism in Russia around 1900 was only one of several possible styles. The tradition of history and genre painting with a realistic-symbolist approach, as well as a lyrical depiction of landscapes, continued to be cultivated.

However, especially from the 1890s onwards, a passionate fondness for sun-drenched, rural landscapes developed in Russia, which was intended to help strengthen and solidify national identity.

Important Impressionist painters from Russia:

• Lev Samoilovich Bakst (1866–1924)
• Alexander Nikolayevich Benua (1870–1960)
• Konstantin Ivanovich Gorbatov (1876–1945)
• Igor Emmanuilovich Grabar (1871–1960)
• Konstantin Alexeyevich Korovin (1861–1939)
• Isaak Ilyich Levitan (1860–1910)
• Vladimir Yegorovich Makovsky (1846–1920)
• Vasily Grigoryevich Perov (1834–1882)
• Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov (1844–1927)
• Illarion Mikhailovich Pryanishnikov (1840–1894)
• Valentin Alexandrovich Serov (1865–1911)
• Konstantin Andreevich Somov (1869–1939)
• Vasily Wassiljewitsch Vereshchagin (1842–1904)
• Sergei Arsenyevich Vinogradov (1869–1938)

The End of Impressionism

Over time, the Impressionists increasingly strove for paintings of lasting value, and artists such as Renoir, Cézanne, and the Pointillists achieved this using various techniques. This became evident at the eighth Impressionist exhibition in 1886.

Paul Cézanne retreated to the south of France and devoted himself to Montaigne-Sainte-Victoire and increasingly abstract patches of color. Pierre-Auguste Renoir also expressed doubts about Impressionism, having grown tired of chasing fleeting moments. He longed for an art of lasting and eternal quality, one that could once again be displayed in museums.

Inspired by Italian Old Masters and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Renoir reflected this influence in his Neoclassical paintings from 1887 onwards. Further development of Impressionism was undertaken by Claude Monet, who began painting series of works as early as 1876.

His first work of this kind – the painting of the St.-Lazare train station in Paris – was presented as early as 1877 at the third Impressionist exhibition. In the 1880s, he undertook many journeys and further developed the concept of serial painting, which he demonstrated in the early 1890s in Giverny and with his paintings of the facade of Rouen Cathedral.

What remained? The legacy of the Impressionists

In the Western world, reactions to, criticism of, and reinterpretations of Impressionism have significantly influenced many modern art movements. The ethos of Impressionism has not only shaped the visual arts but has also had a lasting impact on music and literature.

In music, attempts were made to create atmospheres or moods, which was particularly popular in late 19th-century France. French writers and poets, in turn, reflected Impressionism through syntactic variations and fragmentary prose.

Today, works by Impressionist artists are highly sought after on the art market, attracting considerable interest from private collectors and public institutions. Sotheby’s sold Monet’s *Meules* for $110.8 million, setting a new record for the artist. That same year, the Musée d’Orsay in Paris held retrospectives of works by Berthe Morisot, a leading Impressionist painter.

Impressionist works can be admired in numerous renowned public institutions worldwide, including the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the National Gallery in London, the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

The best books and most beautiful picture books about Impressionism

With this article, we have attempted to give you a comprehensive initial overview of this revolutionary Art Movement . Perhaps you would now like to learn more about it or require additional information and details for school, university, or research.

Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of Impressionist art by browsing through selected books and illustrated volumes, some of which we ourselves have used as sources and references.

“Impressionism: A World of Color and Light”, by Norbert Wolf

This lavishly designed, large-format illustrated book provides a comprehensive insight into the world of Impressionism and its influence on art and culture.

Norbert Wolf's work explains why Impressionism is considered a precursor to modernism and why it continues to draw countless fascinated visitors to museums worldwide. The author illuminates historical precursors, contemporary criticism, and subsequent movements across Europe, drawing connections to other art forms such as photography, music, and literature. This richly illustrated volume is an indispensable compendium for art lovers and experts alike.

“Impressionism: Great Masters of Art”, by Florian Heine

This richly illustrated volume portrays the achievements of the Impressionist movement in a handy and attractive format. It offers a wealth of images and information about the leading artists of the time, shows their creative development in dealing with light and space, and illuminates the influence of new scientific discoveries on their art.

Featuring generous illustrations, the book presents works by Manet, Monet, Renoir and other important Impressionists, complete with biographical details and historical context.

“Impressionist Painting. 1860-1920”, by Ingo F. Walther

Although Impressionism is a widespread art movement that has produced numerous works, many facets remain unexplored. This book is dedicated to precisely these undiscovered areas, focusing on neglected artists such as Berthe Morisot, Lucien Pissarro, and Gustave Caillebotte.

Furthermore, it sheds light on Impressionist painting beyond the borders of France, offering a comprehensive view of this art genre. With insightful analyses and new findings, this work fills an important gap in Impressionist research and invites the reader to discover the diversity and beauty of this art movement in a completely new way.

“Impressionism” by Karin H. Grimme

This captivating glimpse into the world of Impressionism immerses us in the masterpieces of some of the most important artists of their time. Alongside world-renowned figures like Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Berthe Morisot, and Camille Pissarro, lesser-known but equally talented artists also shine a spotlight.

Personalities such as Marie Bracquemond, Medardo Rosso and Fritz von Uhde undoubtedly deserve to be recognized for their work.

Since its launch in 1985, the Basic Art Series has become an indispensable resource for art lovers and creators worldwide. With outstanding content and a wide range of artists, it has established itself as the best-selling art book series of all time.

“Impressionism: The Hasso Plattner Collection” by Ortrud Westheider

No comparable collection exists that can present Impressionist landscape painting so comprehensively and convincingly in its development and iconography as the one assembled by Hasso Plattner over the past decades. The more than 100 paintings are now on permanent display at the Museum Barberini in Potsdam, which he founded.

Ortrud Westheider, the director of the Museum Barberini, uses this collection to guide the audience through the history of French Impressionism.