Impressionism

Impressionism is an art movement that started in France in the second half of the nineteenth century and is often seen as the beginning of modern painting. Impressionism arose in opposition to the established art world and its monopoly on what could be exhibited. By the late 1800s, the prevailing idea was still that the subject matter of art should be noble or instructive and that the value of a work of art could be judged by the work's descriptive resemblance to natural objects. The Impressionists wanted to represent reality as they perceived it at the time. This meant that work had to be done quickly and people no longer worked exclusively from the studio. There was a particular emphasis on light. They used a new painting technique, namely loose, short elapsed. In this way they recorded their impressions. In addition, the subjects within Impressionism were also different from the previous styles. Allegorical and historical subjects were avoided. In the early Impressionist period between 1870 and 1880, mainly landscapes were painted and the effects of light on these landscapes. After that, however, came a growing interest in the human figure. Everyday life was recorded. Especially the free time of the new middle class that had arisen through industrialization was captured. In the Netherlands, the movement influenced, for example, the Hague School and the Amsterdam School.