General Impressionism Facts

General Impressionism Facts

1. Whereas respected artists of their time were producing paintings of the ‘extraordinary’ (religious themed paintings, gods, monarchy etc.) the Impressionists were more concerned with painting the ‘ordinary’ of the time. Particularly subject matter that depicted the rise of modernity. They began painting Baron Haussmann’s rising modern Paris.

2. Capturing and exaggerating colour was a key Impressionist trait.

3. Before the first Impressionist exhibition, Degas suggested they name the group, ‘La Capucine’. They went with ‘Les Independants’.

4. ‘The Impressionists’ was a name for the group that stuck after critics used it to mock the painters after their first exhibition.

5. The first exhibition was in 1972.

6. Critics often labeled the group of painters, ‘The Intransigents’ due to the leftist political statements their paintings made against which were contrary to the conservative government at the time.

7. Paul Durand-­‐Ruel was a Parisian art collector who is responsible for introducing Impressionism to America in 1886, greatly boosting their reputation. He bought and sold their paintings all along.

8. The Impressionists used to frequently meet at a café called, Nouvelle Athenes. In the 1940s it was a striptease bar called Sphynx frequented by Nazi’s and later Free French Partisans. In the 80s and 90s it was a rock venue called New Moon. It was destroyed in 2004.

9. Photographer Felix Nadar let the Impressionists use his studio for their first exhibition.

10. The Impressionists are known for advocating plein air painting (particularly Monet). Plein air painting is painting outdoors.

11. There were 8 Impressionist exhibitions in Paris before Durand-­‐Ruel exhibited them abroad in New York.