Impressionism

The main ideas behind Impressionism are actually comparable to realism. The artist tries to show what the eye sees in a quick glance, or the first immediate 'impression' of a scene. The paintings often have brilliant colors inspired by the imagery seen by the artists as they worked outdoors. They were known for using quick visible brushstrokes which led to the a feeling that makes you want to touch the paintings. The soft imagery, though, paved the way for the abstract movement a few decades later. Other noteworthy Impressionist painters include Renoir, Degas, and Cezanne, all of whom created numerous works which are still famous--and extremely valuable--today.

One of the most famous artists of the Impressionist movement is Claude Monet, the man who began the movement with the painting above. Monet lived from 1840 to 1926. He spent many years of his youth traveling for cheaper places to live, as he was very poor. It was not until the 1880s when his paintings began to earn him fame, thereby providing him with enough income to climb out of his poverty. In 1899 he began to like painting water lilies. A collection begun in 1916 by Monet was given to the government and placed in the Museum of the Orangerie in the Tuileries Gardens.