Impressionism: A beginner’s guide

The Impressionists are now widely appreciated, but they originally struggled for recognition.

c. 1874 - 1886

Impressionism, an introduction

By Dr. Beth Gersh-Nesic

Rebelling against tradition, the Impressionists exhibited their own “unfinished” works to a skeptical audience.

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What does "Impressionism" mean?

By Dr. Charles Cramer, Dr. Kim Grant

Impressionist paintings—once considered sloppy and unfinished—draw huge crowds to museums today.

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How the Impressionists got their name

By Dr. Beth Harris, Dr. Steven Zucker

The Impressionists didn’t name themselves—so who was responsible for one of art history’s most enduring terms?

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Impressionist color

By Dr. Charles Cramer, Dr. Kim Grant

Blue snow and violet-tinted flesh—the Impressionists radically changed our expectation of color.

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Impressionist pictorial space

By Dr. Charles Cramer, Dr. Kim Grant

The surprising pictorial effects of modern art may seem at first like errors, but they are quite intentional!

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Japonisme

By Dr. Charles Cramer, Dr. Kim Grant

The distinctive qualities of Japanese art offered striking new approaches to modern artists developing alternatives to the Western tradition of naturalistic representation.

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Looking east: how Japan inspired Monet, Van Gogh and other Western artists

By Asian Art Museum

Isolated for centuries, Japan opened to trade in the 1850s, providing fresh inspiration for Western artists.

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Impressionism, an introduction

What does "Impressionism" mean?

How the Impressionists got their name

Impressionist color

Impressionist pictorial space

Japonisme

Looking east: how Japan inspired Monet, Van Gogh and other Western artists

Browse Smarthistory images for teaching & learning!

takes on racism against Asian-Americans

Diary: December 12, 1941