Impressionism Explained: The Movement That Changed Art Forever
Impressionism explained — what it is, who the major Impressionists were, and why it changed art history. Daily art of the day delivered to your inbox.
Impressionism is perhaps the most recognizable art movement in Western history — and one of the most radical. When Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, and Degas exhibited together in 1874, they were rejected by the official Paris Salon and mocked by critics. Within two decades, they had permanently transformed what art could be: freed from historical subjects, perfect finish, and idealized forms, painting became an exploration of light, moment, and perception. Every subsequent modern art movement is in conversation with what Impressionism started.
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Who were the major Impressionist painters?
The core Impressionists included Claude Monet (water lilies, haystacks, Rouen Cathedral series), Pierre-Auguste Renoir (figure paintings, dance scenes), Edgar Degas (ballet dancers, café scenes), Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, and Berthe Morisot — one of the few prominent women in the movement. Post-Impressionists who built directly on the movement include Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and Georges Seurat.