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Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe by Manet
In Edouard Manet's Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe is a prime example of shadows being more emphasized than lighter portions of the painting. It features four individuals, two men and two women, lounging in the grass while enjoying a picnic. -
The Terrace at Sainte Adresse by Monet
Claude Monet's The Terrace at Sainte Adresse features a bourgeois scene the features the warm and heavy light of late afternoon sun. The choice of this light gives the lighter colors, such as the whiteness of the umbrella and the cleanliness of the ground, look like a creamier off-white. -
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Impressionism
Impressionism began during 19th century in France and extended well into the early 20th century. Characterized by thins brush strokes, Impressionism placed a particularly heavy emphasis upon light and the proper depiction of the passage of light as it changes throughout the day. They were also interested in movement and the many unusual and unique angles that arise from human movement. -
Impression, Sunrise by Monet
In Claude Monet's Impression, Sunrise, the Le Havre port landscape gave name to the artistic movement. Monet painted several versions of the port, but Impression, Sunrise is his most popular. -
Gelée Blanche - Hoarfrost by Pissarro
Many of the Impressionist paintings were captured outside. This was partially due to the introduction of paint in tubes which made painting outside the studio incredibly easy. Camille Pissarro's Hoarfrost painting captures the early morning light as it slants through trees that are just out of the painting. -
The Hanged Man's House in Auvers-sur-Oise by Cézanne
Arguably Paul Cézanne's first masterpiece, The Hanged Man's House in Auvers-sur-Oise features a golden toned landscape dotted with cottages. The canvas was painted upon using a palette knife, which created thick layers of paint. The shadows are subtle whereas the gold tones are rich and vibrant. -
Chemin de la Machine, Louveclennes by Sisley
In Chemin de la Machine, Louveslennes, Alfred Sisley shows the quaint artistic potential of small towns. In this particular painting, a straight brick street is lined between a row of trees and the brick fence and he backs of cottages. In the warm tones of the late afternoon sun, long shadows extend to the left. -
Bal du Moulin de la Galette by Renoir
Renoir's Bal du Moulin de la Galette is a perfect example of the Impressionistic emphasis on light, as Renoir displays with the dappled sunlight that filters through the trees. The scene itself captures a typical Sunday afternoon for the middle class, as they spend the day dancing and socializing. -
Flood at Port Marley by Sisley
Alfred Sisley's painting Flood at Port Marley depicts a somber scene of a flooded street. This is another example of the focal point appearing partially out of scene, as the building extends beyond the edges of the canvas. The reflection of the building in the water reflects the Impressionist lighting technique. -
Une baignade à Asnières by Seurat
Georges Seurat's Bathers at Asnieres features an abstract depiction of people resting beside a peaceful river. Impressionist artists used small clusters of primary color to create the illusion that there is a wide selection of different colors, and Seurat's featureless people blend with their surroundings. -
Sunday afternoon on the island of La Grande-Jatte by Seurat
Georges Seurat's Sunday afternoon on the island of La Grande-Jatte features featureless people standing on a bank. Warm light casts long dark shadows behind the people, including one large shadow that is cast from something just beyond the painting. -
A Holiday in Mentone by Conder
This is my favorite piece from the Impressionist era, as the brightness of the seaside and the beach drastically contrasts with the single line of shadows that extends beneath the bridge. Though English born, Charles Conder emigrated to Australia, where the setting of many of his paintings is set. -
Starry Night by Van Gogh
Van Gogh's most famous and well-known paintings is worth mentioning, as it was one of the first paintings that marked the shift from Impressionism to Post-Impressionism. Still, the smaller brush strokes and the distinction between light and dark areas make this a great example of the Impressionist style. -
Irises by Van Gogh
A classic Vincent Van Gogh painting, Irises was painted during his time in the mental asylum of Saint-Rémy. There, he was allowed to plaint outside. In Irises, Van Gogh expresses flowers within a red patch of red which contrasts with the pale greens and blues of the flower. -
Wheatstacks - End of Summer by Monet
In one of Claude Monet's most well known paintings, we can observe the long shadows cast by the setting sun illuminating the hay stacks. On the stacks, we can just barely see the brightly illuminated side that is hit by the sun, followed by the heavily shadowed left side. -
At the Moulin Rouge, The Dance by Toulouse-Lautrec
At the Moulin Rouge, The Dance by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec depicts a jovial scene at one of the most famous locations in Paris. The focal point of the painting is balanced between the woman exposing her red stockings and the woman in pink. -
Salon at the Rue des Moulins by Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri Toulouse-Lautrec differed from many of the Impressionist artists, who enjoyed creating art in the outdoors. Almost all of Lautrec's art was featured indoors, specifically in brothels and in places of certain entertainment, such as in this Salon at the Rue des Moulins. -
Le Boulevard Montmartre, effet de nuit by Pissarro
In Camille Pissarro's depiction of the Montmartre Boulevard at night, is a beautiful and slightly surreal example of Impressionist lighting. The deep indigo set in the middle of the painting diminishes the distinction between ground and sky, making the painting seem like it's bursting forth from nothing. -
Four Dancers by Degas
In Edgar Degas' painting "Four Dancers," we can see the asymmetrical quality of placing the focal point of the painting, in this case the four dancers, in the lower left hand side. Paintings prior to Impressionism often placed the focal point of paintings near the middle of the canvas, and Impressionism began placing the focal points anywhere but the center. -
Le Palais des Papes, Avignon by Signac
Paul Signac's Le Palais des Paper, Avignon showcases the Impressionistic style involving the use of small brush strokes to depict a piece of art that, from far away, creates a scene. Up close, the brush strokes become apparent. -
La hora del baño by Sorolla
In Joaquín Sorolla's La hora del baño, this 20h century artist depicts a shoreside scene during, presumably, late afternoon. The darkness of the sea and of the ship in the background, does well to showcase the golden white of the sheet the focal point character is holding.
