How To Recognize An Impressionist Painting? A Guide Through The Impressionism’s Key Characteristics

A little visual guide about the key characteristics of Impressionist paintings.

La Seine à Bougival (1872) by Alfred Sisley. Oil on canvas, 46 cm x 73 cm.

The Impressionist movement saw its rise toward the second part of the 19th century. Led by the French painter Camille Pissarro, Impressionism challenged the academic approach and became popular in France and many other countries.

But what features make the painting considered an Impressionist artwork? Here is a little visual guide that will give you some understanding of the key characteristics that defined the paintings of this colorful movement.

Bright sun and natural light

1 — The Gardener, Afternoon, Sun, Éragny (1899) by Camille Pissarro. Oil on canvas, 92.5 cm x 65.4 cm.
2 — The Garden (1873) by Alfred Sisley. Oil on canvas, 46.5 cm x 65 cm.
3 — Champs Elysées, Paris (1889) by Childe Hassam. Oil on canvas.

If you look at the Impressionist landscapes, those mostly were surrounded by good weather, warm and sunny. Impressionist painters paid the attention to contrasting colors and shadows. In paintings that depicted scenes after the rain or the fields covered in snow — the light still played a big part in creating the atmosphere.

A blossoming garden

1 — Rincón del jardín (1911) by Ignacio Pinazo Camarlench. Oil on canvas, 81 cm x 65.2 cm.
2 — The Little Gardener (1867) by Frederic Bazille. Oil on canvas, 168.9 cm x 128 cm.
3 — The Garden path by Frederick Carl Frieseke. Oil on canvas.

The garden brings you colorful and bright scenery. Many of the Impressionist painters were themselves, enthusiastic gardeners. The variety of colors was inspiring enough to leave the depiction of the garden without adding any human figures. However, when the painters depicted someone in this idyllic environment, nature was still the central element.

Everyday scenery

1 — The Fisherman (1904) by Joaquin Sorolla. Oil on canvas, 76 cm x 106 cm.
2 — Two girls reading in the garden (1890) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Oil on canvas, 46 cm x 55 cm.
3 — The Milliner on the Champs Elysées (1880) by Jean Béraud. Oil on canvas, 45.1 cm x 34.9 cm.

Impressionist painters did the same thing as followers of the Realist movement. They depicted simple everyday scenes and the life around them. They could capture a scene of a busy street, a lonely man walking in the park, or someone doing his job. It was all about capturing things that the painter saw on a daily basis, without adding any artificial drama elements.

Depictions of theatres, cafes, and other places of leisure

1 — Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette (1876) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Oil on canvas, 131 cm x 175 cm.
2 — The café-concert at “Les Ambassadeurs” (1877) by Edgar Degas. Pastel, 37 cm x 27 cm.
3 — The Card Players (1895) by Paul Cezanne. Oil on canvas, 60 cm x 73 cm.

Many Impressionist painters were fascinated by the big city life and its energy. Paris, London, Berlin — you name it! They could wander around the streets, visit cafes, restaurants, and other buzzing places, and capture all the people that were having a good time. The painters expressed their admiration for this always-moving circle of the city’s life.

Views from above

1 — Place de la Trinité (1875) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Oil on canvas, 50 cm x 62 cm.
2 — Mardi Gras on the Boulevards (1897) by Camille Pissarro. Oil on canvas, 62.2 cm x 78.8 cm.
3 — Albaicin by Joaquin Sorolla. Oil on canvas.

Impressionist painters usually depicted their cityscapes from above, capturing the scenery from the rooftops or balconies. It created a slightly photographic feel due to the fact that all the human figures look tiny and unrecognizable. It was a beloved theme for the painters who resided in Europe’s biggest cities.

Railway stations, trains, and bridges

1 — Exterior of Saint-Lazare station, sun effect (1877) by Claude Monet. Oil on canvas.
2 — The Pont de l’Europe and the Gare Saint-Lazare with Scaffolding (1888) by Norbert Goeneutte. Oil on canvas, 38 cm x 46 cm.
3 — The railway station, Redfern (1893) by Arthur Streeton. Oil on canvas, 40.8 cm x 61 cm.

The more industrial scenes also seemed captivating for some of the Impressionist painters. There was always a dynamic buzz around these places. The world around them was changing, new inventions were presented to wider audiences almost every year. It was an interesting process to observe and depict. A big fan of such scenery was the French painter Claude Monet.

Streams, rivers, and lakes

1 — The Port of Trouville, Boatyard (1880) by Eugene Boudin. Oil on canvas, 40.5 cm x 55.5 cm.
2 — On the Beach, Boulogne-sur-Mer (1868) by Edouard Manet. Oil on canvas, 32 cm x 65 cm.
3 — Landscape along the Seine with the Institut de France and the Pont des Arts (1875) by Alfred Sisley. Oil on canvas.

The landscapes of the Impressionist painters often feature some source of water. It can be a small stream or river, as well as a lake or seaside scene. Same as the buzzing sounds of the city, the water has a similar nature — it changes colors, it always moves, and has dynamism. The painters loved to depict this constant movement.

Rain, fog, and snow

1 — Inntal landscape (1910) by Lovis Corinth. Oil on canvas, 75 cm x 99 cm.
2 — La Mare, effet de neige (1874) by Claude Monet. Oil on canvas, 60.6 cm x 81.7 cm.
3 — A landscape with windmill (1904) by Paul Vogler. Oil on canvas.

Impressionist painters loved to depict both sides of nature — the light and the dark. It often matched the mood of a painter. Not every one of them was overly enthusiastic about the state of their lives. Such natural occurrences, such as rain or fog, could serve as a precise and symbolic hint toward the mood and emotions the painter felt at the time. A more gloomy scenery also has its beauty.

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