Discover how scenes of daily life and delicate dabs of color shocked the art world establishment.
In this TASCHEN Basic Art introduction to
Impressionism
, we explore the artists, subjects, and techniques that first brought the easel out of the studio and shifted artistic attention from history, religion, or portraiture to the
evanescent ebb and flow of modern life
.
As we tour the
theaters, bars, and parks of Paris and beyond
, we take in the movement’s radical innovations in style and subject, from the principle of
plein air
painting to the rapid, broken brushwork that allowed the Impressionists to emphasize
spontaneity, movement, and the changing qualities of light
. We take a close look at their unusual new perspectives and their fresh palette of pure, unblended colors, including many vividly bright shades that brought a whole
new level of chromatic intensity
to the canvas.
Along the way, we recognize Impressionism’s established greats, such as
Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot,
and
Camille Pissarro
, as well as many associated artists worthy of closer attention, including
Marie Bracquemond, Medardo Rosso,
Fritz von Uhde.