Impressionism: A revolution in art according to experience

When you hear the word Impressionism, images of ethereal landscapes, light brushstrokes and scenes that capture the fugacity of the moment may come to mind. But let me tell you something, my friend, this artistic current, which broke all the traditional rules of art, is not just a way of painting... It's a way of living and seeing the world.

How do I know this?Because throughout my life as an art lover and collector, I have come across this pictorial revolution many times, which, although it was rejected in its beginnings, today is considered one of the most important and valuable in the history of art.

And yes, I experienced it firsthand when, back in the 1980s, I first visited an exhibition on Impressionism in Paris. I tell you it was an instant crush. The soul of the Impressionists captured in rapid brushstrokes the light, colors, and sensations of everyday life in a way that I had not seen until that moment.

The Origin of Impressionism: An Act of Rebellion

To understand this style of painting, you have to go back to the second half of the 19th century in France. Artists of the time were fed up with classical subjects, with those paintings depicting mythology, religion or grand historical scenes, full of technical detail but, frankly, lacking in emotion. Artists wanted more freedom to capture reality as they felt it and not as it should be seen according to the standards of the Academy.

So, in 1874, a group of painters decided to mount their own exhibition in the studio of a photographer named Nadar. Among them were names that would later become known throughout the world: Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, among others. The scandal? Total. The critics had no mercy on them. And it was precisely one of those criticisms that gave the movement its name. The journalist Louis Leroy, upon seeing Monet's painting titled Impression, rising sun, contemptuously called the painters Impressionists. Ironically, the name stuck.

Main features of Impressionism

What makes Impressionism unique are several elements that, of course, broke with everything established so far:

Fast and visible brushstrokes: The Impressionists, unlike classical artists who took great pains to hide the stroke of their brushes, did not complicate their lives. They used short, overlapping and thick brushstrokes. The purpose was to capture the essence of the moment, as a quick impression of what the eye perceives.

The use of light: Light is the great protagonist of Impressionist works. This obsession with light and how it reflects on things is what really distinguishes this movement. Painters went out into nature to work in the open air (plein air) to capture the changes in light during the day.

Vibrant and mixed colors directly on the canvas: The Impressionists abandoned the use of dark colors and preferred light and luminous tones, applying the colors directly without mixing too much. They wanted to capture life as they saw it, even if that meant abandoning detailed, realistic drawing.

Everyday subject matter: You won't see mythological gods or battle heroes here. Impressionism focused on the everyday: scenes of urban life, outdoor landscapes, people enjoying a boat ride or sitting in a cafe.

A subjective perception: The Impressionists did not want to represent reality objectively. They focused on how light and color are perceived according to the moment, depending on the weather, the time of day or the season.

The great masters of impressionism

To talk about impressionism without mentioning the great masters would be sacrilege. Here are some of the most influential:

• Claude Monet: Probably the best known. His series of the Water Lilies and the famous Impression, rising sun are perfect examples of how he captured the light and color of nature.
• Edgar Degas: Degas was the great master of ballerinas. Although he was sometimes considered somewhat removed from the core of Impressionism, his works on dancing and horse racing show a deep study of artificial light and moving compositions.
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir: Renoir loved to paint happy, lively scenes. His work Le Moulin de la Galette is a celebration of leisure and joie de vivre.

The influence of photography

I'll tell you a curious detail that blew my mind the first time I heard it. It turns out that photography was a major influence on the Impressionists. During the 19th century, photography was booming, and many painters feared that this new technology would kill painting. Instead of resisting, the Impressionists took it as their inspiration. The unexpected framing, angles and capture of fleeting moments in their works resemble a photographic snapshot.

My experience with impressionism

Let me tell you a personal anecdote. I clearly remember the first time I saw a work by Monet in person. It was part of his Water Lilies series, on display at the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris. I had heard about that work for years, but I assure you that nothing prepares you for the actual experience of seeing it live. The brushstrokes that looked chaotic and messy from a distance transformed into pure harmony and light the closer you got.

Seeing it up close made me understand why these artists took such a gamble in departing from what was "accepted." Their purpose was not just to portray reality, but to make the viewer feel the emotion of the moment. And boy, did they succeed.