6. Impressionism

Read the following passages from “Lust for Life” by I.Stone to find out about the origin of Impressionism and specific features of the movement.

That night they sat in Vincent's studio, talking first of family affairs, then of their work.

“ I have been offered a thousand francs a month to leave Goupils and go with a new house,” said Theo.

“Are you going to take it ?”

“I think not. I have an idea their policy will be purely commercial.”

“But you have been writing me that Goupils…”

“I know, les Messieurs are also after the big profits. Still I have been with them for twelve years. Why should I change for a few more francs? Some day they may put me in charge of one of their branches. If they do, I shall begin selling the Impressionists.”

“Impressionists? I think I’ve seen that name in print somewhere. Who are they?”

“Oh, just the younger painters around Paris: Edward Manet, Degas, Renoir, Claude Monet, Sisley, Courbet, Lautrec, Gaugin, Cezanne, Seurat.”

“Where did they get their name?”

“From the exhibition of 1874 at Nadar’s. Claude Monet had a canvas there which he called “Impression: Soleil Levant”. A newspaper critic by the name of Louis Leroy called it an exhibition of “Impressionistes” and the name has stuck.”

“Do they work in light or dark colours?”

“Oh, light! They despise dark colours.”

**********

“The pictures you will want to see are up on the entresol”, said Theo.

“Am I in a madhouse?”

Vincent stumbled blindly to the lone chair on the entresol, sat down and rubbed his eyes. From the age of twelve he had been used to seeing dark and sombre paintings; paintings in which the brushwork was invisible, every detail of the canvas correct and complete, and flat colours shaded slowly into each other.

The paintings that laughed at him merrily from the walls were like nothing he had ever seen or dreamed of. Gone were the flat, thin surfaces. Gone was the sentimental sombriety. Gone was the brown gravy in which Europe had been bathing its pictures for centuries. Here were pictures riotously mad with the sun. With light and air and throbbing vivacity. Paintings of ballet girls backstage, done in primitive reds, greens, and blues thrown next to each other irreverently. He looked at the signature. Degas.

There were a group of outdoor scenes along a river bank, caught with all the ripe, lush colour of midsummer and a hot overhead sun. The name was Monet.

In all the hundreds of canvases that Vincent had seen, there was not as much luminosity, breath and fragrance as in one of these glowing pictures. The darkest colour Monet used was a dozen times lighter than the lightest colour to be found in all the museums of Holland. The brushwork stood out, unashamed, every stroke apparent, every stroke entering into the rhythm of nature. The surface was thick, deep, palpitant, with heavy globs of ripe, rich paint.

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Have a look at reproductions of Impressionists’ pictures. Compare their style with that of old masters. What basic differences in the manner of painting, colour scheme, technique, etc. can you notice?

Why do you think many people do not like modern painting? What is your attitude to it, Impressionism in particular? Do you have a favourite impressionist? What can you say about his paintings?