Impressionism

What happened

In 1874 a group of Paris painters — among them Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Morisot — held their own exhibition after repeated rejection by the official Salon. Working quickly and often outdoors, they used loose, visible brushstrokes to capture fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. A critic mocked one Monet canvas, 'Impression, Sunrise,' and the name stuck.

Why it matters

Impressionism broke with academic tradition and is often seen as the beginning of modern art, freeing painters to record perception and sensation rather than polished, idealised scenes.

Sources

• Tate. Impressionism · Reputable source