Modern impressionism in painting. The best Impressionist paintings with names and photos

It is believed that art has no boundaries. Nevertheless, people decided to divide the works of artists into genres, which can be quite easy to get confused, because the boundaries of styles are arbitrary. Today we will talk about one of the main trends in painting - impressionism.

The emergence of impressionism

Impressionism as an art genre originated in France in the 1870s. The origin of this style was the creation of the painting by C. Monet “Impression. Sunrise” (1872). One journalist called the artist an impressionist, but with a negative meaning. But this was soon forgotten, and the picture gave birth to a new genre.

In 1874, impressionist artists held their first separate exhibition. The paintings exhibited there were criticized for their lack of meaning, looseness and poor depiction. However, the artists did not stop and continued to organize such events, declaring their art.

Impressionism was a purely French phenomenon. Artists from other countries were able to adopt some features, but not to the fullest extent.

It was the impressionists who were the first to move away from generally accepted standards and templates of academic writing, thereby giving a huge impetus to the development artistic arts. They deeply researched colors and new writing techniques, which ultimately led us to the diversity we have today.

It should be noted that impressionism had a serious influence and inspired with its novelty representatives of other fields of art: sculpture, music and literature.

What do impressionist paintings tell us?

Impressionism focuses on the image and the impression it gives to the viewer. Impressionist paintings most often depict ordinary scenes from life: city ​​bustle or landscapes. Their works give viewers those fleeting impressions that the painters themselves experienced. Impressionism does not notice problems or negativity, it shows exclusively positive sides life.

Mostly in the paintings you can see such scenes as picnics, boating, dancing, tea parties, outdoor fun and other joys of life. Impressionists most often depicted people in paintings not frozen, but moving, playing, laughing. The paintings allow us to plunge into the living reality of past centuries, to see what kind of environment surrounded people XIX century.

Features of impressionist paintings

The talent of reflecting an instant first impression on a canvas is the main feature of all artists. They always created from life, without any sketches, capturing and conveying general mood. Impressionist paintings do not carry deep meaning or hidden content, they depict everyday life, but they do it not simply, but masterfully. When looking at such paintings, the viewer immediately has a certain thought or emotion that remains for some time after viewing.

The impressionists developed a special style of writing. The paintings they painted are most often distinguished by fuzzy lines and individual strokes. The fact is that they conveyed all the colors standard set colors, skillfully placing strokes. In their works they paid great attention to the play of light and shadows, trying to create contrast. Indicative in this regard is the painting by O. Renoir “The Ball at the Moulin de la Galette” (1876).

Great Impressionists of the Past

Since the creation of the movement, there have been many artists who have worked in the style of impressionism, but very few can be called truly great. Thus, the most famous impressionist artists are C. Monet, O. Renoir, A. Sisley and C. Pissarro. In general, impressionism as a movement was especially popular at the end of the 19th century, it was then that true masters created.

This served as a beginning, an inspiration for others no less famous artists- W. van Gogh, P. Cezanne, P. Gauguin. These artists became the founders of post-impressionism, which made its goal a rejection of the depiction of real life, a transition to the depiction of its foundations.

Modern Impressionists

Do not think that the direction ceased to exist after its heyday. There are still artists who choose impressionism for their work.

Paintings modern impressionists cause no less admiration than the paintings of the past. Today, many masters create in this genre, but time will tell which of them is most worthy of this title. However, there are several artists whose paintings are positioned as impressionist paintings. Photos of their work are presented below.

Take, for example, an artist named Kent R. Wallis. His canvases are distinguished by bright, rich colors, with the help of which he creates magnificent landscapes.

Also fascinating are the paintings of the artist I.J. Paprocki (E.J. Paprocki).

In his paintings, flowers, leaves and other small elements are done very realistically, while the rest of the background is done with brush strokes. This allows him to convey the beauty of detail and at the same time the general first impressions characteristic of impressionism.

Alexey Zaitsev- one of the brightest representatives impressionism. Works of this contemporary artist well known not only in Russia, but also abroad. The master paints in oils, generously applying strokes, but the paintings turn out light and sunny. Perhaps this is the secret of the charm of his paintings.

Just a year ago, the phrase “Russian Impressionism” grated on the ears of the average citizen of our vast country. Every educated person knows about light, bright and swift french impressionism, can distinguish Monet from Manet and recognize Van Gogh's sunflowers from all still lifes. Someone heard something about the American branch of the development of this direction of painting - more urban landscapes of Hassam and portrait images of Chase compared to the French ones. But researchers still argue about the existence of Russian impressionism.

Konstantin Korovin

The history of Russian impressionism began with the painting “Portrait of a Chorus Girl” by Konstantin Korovin, as well as with misunderstanding and condemnation of the public. Seeing this work for the first time, I. E. Repin did not immediately believe that the work was executed by a Russian painter: “Spaniard! I see. He writes boldly and juicily. Wonderful. But this is just painting for painting's sake. A Spaniard, however, with a temperament...” Konstantin Alekseevich himself began to paint his canvases in an impressionistic manner back in student years, being unfamiliar with the paintings of Cezanne, Monet and Renoir, long before his trip to France. Only thanks to the experienced eye of Polenov, Korovin learned that he was using the French technique of that time, which he came to intuitively. At the same time, the Russian artist is given away by the subjects that he uses for his paintings - the recognized masterpiece “Northern Idyll”, painted in 1892 and stored in Tretyakov Gallery, demonstrates to us Korovin’s love for Russian traditions and folklore. This love was instilled in the artist by the “Mamontov circle” - a community of creative intelligentsia, which included Repin, Polenov, Vasnetsov, Vrubel and many other friends famous philanthropist Savva Mamontov. In Abramtsevo, where Mamontov’s estate was located and where members of the artistic circle gathered, Korovin was lucky enough to meet and work with Valentin Serov. Thanks to this acquaintance, the work of the already accomplished artist Serov acquired the features of light, bright and swift impressionism, which we see in one of his early works – « Open window. Lilac".

Portrait of a chorus girl, 1883

Northern idyll, 1886

Bird cherry, 1912

Gurzuf 2, 1915

Pier in Gurzuf, 1914

Paris, 1933

Valentin Serov

Serov’s painting is permeated with a feature inherent only in Russian impressionism - his paintings reflect not only the impression of what the artist saw, but also the state of his soul in this moment. For example, in the painting “St. Mark’s Square in Venice,” painted in Italy, where Serov went to in 1887 due to a serious illness, cold gray tones predominate, which gives us an idea of ​​the artist’s condition. But, despite the rather gloomy palette, the painting is a standard impressionistic work, since Serov managed to capture real world in its mobility and variability, to convey your fleeting impressions. In a letter to his bride from Venice, Serov wrote: “In this century They write everything that is hard, nothing joyful. I want, I want gratifying things, and I will write only gratifying things.”

Open window. Lilac, 1886

St. Mark's Square in Venice, 1887

Girl with peaches (Portrait of V. S. Mamontova)

Coronation. Confirmation of Nicholas II in the Assumption Cathedral, 1896

Girl illuminated by the sun, 1888

Bathing a horse, 1905

Alexander Gerasimov

One of the students of Korovin and Serov, who adopted their expressive brushwork, bright palette and sketch style of painting, was Alexander Mikhailovich Gerasimov. The artist’s creativity flourished during the revolution, which could not help but be reflected in the subjects of his paintings. Despite the fact that Gerasimov gave his brush to the service of the party and became famous thanks to his outstanding portraits of Lenin and Stalin, he continued to work on impressionistic landscapes that were close to his soul. Alexander Mikhailovich’s work “After the Rain” reveals to us the artist as a master of conveying air and light in a painting, which Gerasimov owes to the influence of his eminent mentors.

Artists at Stalin's dacha, 1951

Stalin and Voroshilov in the Kremlin, 1950s

After the rain. Wet terrace, 1935

Still life. Field bouquet, 1952

Igor Grabar

In a conversation about late Russian impressionism, one cannot help but turn to the work of the great artist Igor Emmanuilovich Grabar, who adopted many techniques French painters second half of the 19th century century thanks to his numerous trips to Europe. Using the techniques of classical impressionists, in his paintings Grabar depicts absolutely Russian landscape motifs and everyday scenes. While Monet is painting blooming gardens Giverny, and Degas - beautiful ballerinas, Grabar depicts the harsh Russian winter with the same pastel colors and village life. Most of all, Grabar loved to depict frost on his canvases and dedicated an entire collection of works to him, consisting of more than a hundred small multi-colored sketches created in different time days and in different weather conditions. The difficulty of working on such drawings was that the paint froze in the cold, so we had to work quickly. But this is precisely what allowed the artist to recreate “that very moment” and convey his impression of it, which is the main idea of ​​classical impressionism. Igor Emmanuilovich’s painting style is often called scientific impressionism, because it gave great importance light and air on canvases and created a lot of research on color transmission. Moreover, it is to him that we owe the chronological arrangement of paintings in the Tretyakov Gallery, of which he was director in 1920-1925.

Birch Alley, 1940

Winter landscape, 1954

Frost, 1905

Pears on a blue tablecloth, 1915

Corner of the estate (Ray of the Sun), 1901

Yuri Pimenov

Completely non-classical, but still impressionism developed in Soviet time, a prominent representative of which is Yuri Ivanovich Pimenov, who came to depict “a fleeting impression in bed colors” after working in the style of expressionism. One of the most famous works Pimenov becomes the painting “New Moscow” of the 1930s - light, warm, as if painted with the airy strokes of Renoir. But at the same time, the plot of this work is completely incompatible with one of the main ideas of impressionism - refusal to use social and political themes. Pimenov’s “New Moscow” perfectly reflects social change in the life of the city, which have always inspired the artist. “Pimenov loves Moscow, its new city, its people. The painter generously gives this feeling to the viewer,” writes artist and researcher Igor Dolgopolov in 1973. And indeed, looking at the paintings of Yuri Ivanovich, we are imbued with love for Soviet life, new neighborhoods, lyrical housewarmings and urbanism, captured in the technique of impressionism.

Pimenov’s creativity once again proves that everything “Russian” brought from other countries has its own special and unique path of development. So is French impressionism in Russian Empire and the Soviet Union absorbed the features of the Russian worldview, national character and everyday life. Impressionism as a way of conveying only the perception of reality in its pure form remained alien to Russian art, because every painting by Russian artists is filled with meaning, awareness, the state of the changeable Russian soul, and not just a fleeting impression. Therefore, next weekend, when the Museum of Russian Impressionism re-presents the main exhibition to Muscovites and guests of the capital, everyone will find something for themselves among Serov’s sensual portraits, Pimenov’s urbanism and landscapes atypical for Kustodiev.

New Moscow

Lyrical housewarming, 1965

Costume room Bolshoi Theater, 1972

Early morning in Moscow, 1961

Paris. Rue Saint-Dominique. 1958

Stewardess, 1964

Perhaps for most people the names Korovin, Serov, Gerasimov and Pimenov are still not associated with a specific art style, but the Museum of Russian Impressionism, which opened in May 2016 in Moscow, nevertheless collected the works of these artists under one roof.

Now they are offering exorbitant sums for their work, now they are canon and dogma, but when the 19th century had only crossed half of its path, everything turned out badly at first. Impressionism and paintings by young artists served as a reason for scandals and general ridicule.

The Canon, Painting and the Paris Salon

In those days, there were strict rules for painters in France. A professional jury carefully selected works for exhibitions at the famous Salon. Following academic art, classical subjects, foundations and norms was encouraged. The bourgeois Salon opened up a rosy path to the future, which meant the favor of the older generation of artists, attention from the press, and popularity among customers. A Salon award is a path to fame, rejected work is blasphemy, scandal, food for attacks by journalists and poverty. What if you are young and daring, but are tired of painting portraits of nobles and hackneyed subjects? If you have a calling to paint differently because you see differently, what should you do?

Les Miserables

In 1863, the jury rejected so many paintings that Emperor Napoleon III became suspicious and proposed an alternative. The Salon of the Rejected has opened. The crowd of spectators came to see the outlandish exhibition and continued to laugh. Stereotypes do not disappear on their own, they are broken, and this takes time...

A small group of artists rebelled against dead dogmas and conservatism. The young creative generation was puzzled by the search for new venues for exhibitions, and spent hours discussing the tasks and goals of painting in the famous Guerbois cafe. Later, each of the painters would go their own way, but for now they were united by common goals and objectives: to break through, gain recognition, and develop a common theoretical platform.

And here's the first serious one independent step- spring 1873, exhibition in the studio of photographer Nadar. 30 artists presented 165 works to the sophisticated public... And again bewilderment! Viewers are surprised by the style of painting: the abruptness of the strokes, the blurred contours, the unusual color scheme, as if the artist is in a hurry. In the works one can see negligence, incompleteness, understatement. The close attention to the plein air, where air, shadow and partial shade reign, and the street episode is striking. The creators' gaze is focused on the moment of being. All this causes sharp criticism and misunderstanding. Rebels are accused of immorality and unprincipledness. Moreover, they dare to rethink the unshakable values ​​of art: they depict the life of the street, square, and the life of ordinary people! All this, in the opinion of ordinary bourgeois and aristocrats, is wrong, petty and everyday.

Oil Paintings. Impressionism Monet

Monet calls his new canvas “Impression. Sunrise". Some journalist takes it out of context: impressionism, paintings, impressions. The general tone of the statements, as usual, is dismissive and ironic. Artists accept the challenge and call the new movement this supposedly mocking word.

Impressionism flourished in the 70s and 80s. Its most prominent representatives are Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley and many others.

Edouard Manet in the enemy's camp

Paintings in the impressionist style of Edouard Manet constantly caused bewilderment among the public. He, like no one else, knew how to provoke high-profile scandals, although he himself was a product of the same environment that fiercely attacked him. Manet was well brought up, educated, inherited a fortune that gave him the opportunity not to worry about his daily bread. The painting “An Incident at a Bullfight” was so mercilessly attacked by the press that the painter’s nerves gave way and he tore up the work. His paintings “Olympia” and “Breakfast on the Grass” caused severe public rejection.

The personal exhibition, organized in the pavilion of the Parisian World Exhibition of 1867 at his own expense, was completely booed. Young Emile Zola is almost the only one who came out in defense. It was he who first expressed his thoughts out loud about the artist’s innovation, presciently declaring that his paintings belonged in the Louvre itself. Edouard Manet never exhibited with fellow impressionists; he believed that his battlefield was the notorious Salon. Apparently, because he was not afraid to dictate his own laws in a foreign monastery, he suffered so much from critics.

Camille Pissarro: air, plein air and impressionism

Camille Pissarro believed that the main thing in painting is air. Thin, transparent, breathing light, fogs, rains and their premonition. The air on his canvases is almost tangible. Pissarro entered the history of art as a singer of Paris and Rouen, rural and urban landscapes. The artist is considered one of the ideologists of impressionism. His friends are the great masters Cezanne, Degas, Gauguin. His life was not simple: he was in need, was happily married, had many children and was fanatically devoted to art. He was saved from poverty by a small garden in which his household grew vegetables and sold them in Paris. Only 5 years before the artist’s death, the family settled within the city on Rivoli Street, in a house overlooking the Louvre.

Pissarro was fascinated by the picturesque views of Rouen Cathedral painted by Claude Monet. He goes to the city and paints his Rouen, its streets and embankments. This is how one of his paintings “Rue Episeri, Rouen (sunlight effect)” (1898) appears. This work is considered to be the most successful, where the lively movement of the market is embodied on canvas against the backdrop of swift church spiers stretching into a clear, as if washed, sky. The festive movement of the crowd, the bright color spots of the roofs, and their pile-up create a rich polyphony, rhythm and sound of colors.

Amazing tube of paint

Why is this group of artists so persistent in turning to plein air? Have other talented masters really not thought of this? It turns out that the new ideology of art is determined by technical progress. Plein air became possible thanks to the invention of the paint tube. The paint in the lead tube can now be capped and set aside. It will not dry out and will be suitable for future use. The artist can not limit himself only to working indoors, but also paint on fresh air! This is a breakthrough! Now almost anything can become a subject of art. Auguste Renoir wrote that thanks to this invention, impressionism began to sparkle with new facets. The paintings of innovative artists would not have come to life without progress.

Claude Monet and Rouen Cathedral: impressionism, paintings, photos

If we mentioned french city Rouen in the works of two great artists, then one cannot help but say about the “Rouen Cathedral” series by Claude Monet, which became a grandiose artistic epic at the end of the century. Monet got the idea to paint a majestic Gothic structure (at that time the tallest cathedral in the world) in different seasons, at different moments of daylight.

He worked on the masterpiece for more than 2 years since 1892. Monet watched the building and the changes taking place around it almost around the clock in a rented apartment overlooking the cathedral. At the same time, the master worked on several canvases: he was confused, dissatisfied, constantly destroyed what he had written, took up the canvas again, left, returned, changed housing, painted until exhaustion and bouts of insomnia. The idea devoured him... Art historians believe that the artist introduced a fourth - time - into painting, which usually deals with three dimensions. If you suddenly need to name famous paintings of impressionism as a movement, then this series is the most monumental. The artist planned to sell the entire series into one person, but since the price was prohibitively high at that time, the paintings became the property of different collectors.

Russian impressionists

The new trend found a response in Russia. Contemporaries recall that young Konstantin Korovin was confused by a simple question from his teacher, the artist Polenov. The word “impressionism” and paintings by French painters of that time (this is what Polenov asked about) were unknown to him. For the first time, Korovin will be in Paris at the age of 27, he will see a style of writing that is close to him and will finally calm down - he is right and not alone! The work “Spanish Women Leonora and Ampara” is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery. At one time, the artist was paid for the painting with a coat worth 25 rubles. Such a case is far from isolated in the history of painting. Konstantin Korovin, his friend Valentin Serov and artist Igor Grabar are prominent representatives of impressionism in Russia late XIX centuries.

For our difficult era, which combines various styles and movements in art, the concept of “modern impressionism” and paintings by artists in this genre are more of a glorious past than the present. Unfortunately, there are no world-famous names of people working in this style now. Impressionism is a path that painting has already taken, and it is easy to follow the beaten path.

“The new world was born when the impressionists painted it”

Henri Kahnweiler

19th century. France. Something unprecedented happened in painting. A group of young artists decided to shake 500-year-old traditions. Instead of a clear drawing, they used a wide, “careless” stroke.

And they completely abandoned the usual images. Portraying everyone. And ladies of easy virtue, and gentlemen of dubious reputation.

The public was not ready for impressionist painting. They were ridiculed and scolded. And most importantly, they didn’t buy anything from them.

But the resistance was broken. And some of the impressionists lived to see their triumph. True, they were already over 40. Like Claude Monet or Auguste Renoir. Some waited for recognition only at the end of their lives, like Camille Pissarro. Some did not live to see him, like Alfred Sisley.

What revolutionary did each of them accomplish? Why did the public take so long to accept them? Here are the 7 most famous French impressionists. Which the whole world knows.

1. Edouard Manet (1832 – 1883)

Manet was older than most of the Impressionists. He was their main inspiration for change.

Manet himself did not claim to be the leader of the revolutionaries. He was a secular man. I dreamed of official awards.

But he waited a very long time for recognition. The public wanted to see the Greek goddesses. Or still lifes at worst. To look beautiful in the dining room. Manet wanted to write modern life. For example, courtesans.

The result was “Breakfast on the Grass.” Two dandies are relaxing in the company of ladies of easy virtue. One of them, as if nothing had happened, sits next to the dressed men.

Compare his Luncheon on the Grass with Thomas Couture's Romans in Decline. Couture's painting created a sensation. The artist instantly became famous.

“Breakfast on the Grass” was accused of vulgarity. Pregnant women were seriously not recommended to look at it.

In Couture's painting we see all the attributes of academicism ( traditional painting 16-19 centuries). Columns and statues. People of Apollonian appearance. Traditional muted colors. Manners of poses and gestures. A plot from the distant life of a completely different people.

“Breakfast on the Grass” by Manet is of a different format. Before him, no one had depicted courtesans so easily. Close to respectable citizens. Although many men of that time spent their leisure time this way. Real life real people.

Once I wrote to a respectable lady. Ugly. He couldn't flatter her with a brush. The lady was disappointed. She left him in tears.

So he continued to experiment. For example, with color. He did not try to depict the so-called natural color. If he saw gray-brown water as bright blue, then he depicted it as bright blue.

This, of course, irritated the public. After all, even the Mediterranean Sea cannot boast of being as blue as Manet’s water, they quipped.

But the fact remains a fact. Manet radically changed the purpose of painting. The painting became the embodiment of the artist’s individuality. Who writes as he pleases. Forgetting about patterns and traditions.

All innovations did not forgive him for a long time. He received recognition only at the end of his life. When he no longer needed it. He was dying painfully from incurable disease.

2. Claude Monet (1840 – 1926)

Claude Monet can be called a Christian impressionist. Since he was faithful to this direction all his long life.

He painted not objects and people, but a single color construction of highlights and spots. Separate strokes. Air tremors.

Monet painted not only nature. He was also successful in city landscapes. One of the most famous - .

There is a lot of photography in this picture. For example, motion is conveyed through a blurred image.

Notice how the distant trees and figures seem to be in a haze.

Before us is a frozen moment in the bustling life of Paris. No staging. Nobody is posing. People are depicted as a collection of brush strokes. Such lack of plot and “freeze-frame” effect - main feature impressionism.

By the mid-80s, artists became disillusioned with impressionism. Aesthetics are, of course, good. But the lack of plot depressed many.

Only Monet continued to persist. Exaggerating impressionism. Which grew into a series of paintings.

He depicted the same landscape dozens of times. At different times of the day. At different times of the year. To show how temperature and light can change the same species beyond recognition.

Thus, countless haystacks appeared.

Paintings by Claude Monet at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Left: Haystacks at sunset in Giverny, 1891. Right: Haystack (snow effect), 1891.

Please note that the shadows in these paintings are colored. And not gray or black, as was customary before the Impressionists. This is another feature of theirs.

Monet managed to enjoy success and material well-being. After 40, he already forgot about poverty. He acquired a house and a beautiful garden. And he created for his own pleasure long years.

Read about the master’s most iconic painting in the article

3. Auguste Renoir (1841 – 1919)

Impressionism is the most positive painting. And the most positive among the impressionists was Renoir.

You won't find drama in his paintings. Even black paint he didn't use it. Only the joy of being. Even the most banal things in Renoir look beautiful.

Unlike Monet, Renoir painted people more often. Landscapes were less important to him. In his paintings his friends and acquaintances are relaxing and enjoying life.

You won't find any profundity in Renoir. He was very happy to join the Impressionists. Who completely refused the plots.

As he himself said, he finally has the opportunity to write flowers and call them simply “Flowers”. And don’t invent any stories about them.

Renoir felt best in the company of women. He asked his maids to sing and joke. The stupider and more naive the song was, the better for him. And men's chatter tired him. It's no surprise that Renoir is famous for his nudes.

The model in the painting “Nude in sunlight” seems to appear against a colorful abstract background. Because for Renoir nothing is secondary. The model's eye or a section of the background are equivalent.

Renoir lived a long life. And I never put down my brush and palette. Even when his hands were completely shackled by rheumatism, he tied the brush to his hand with a rope. And he drew.

Like Monet, he waited for recognition after 40 years. And I saw my paintings in the Louvre, next to the works of famous masters.

Read about one of the most charming portraits of Renoir in the article

4. Edgar Degas (1834 – 1917)

Degas was not a classical impressionist. He did not like to work in the open air (open air). You won’t find a deliberately lightened palette with him.

On the contrary, he loved a clear line. He has plenty of black. And he worked exclusively in the studio.

But still he is always put in a row with other great impressionists. Because he was an impressionist of gesture.

Unexpected angles. Asymmetry in the arrangement of objects. Characters taken by surprise. All these are the main attributes of his paintings.

He stopped a moment of life, not allowing him to come to his senses. Just look at his “Opera Orchestra”.

In the foreground is the back of a chair. The musician's back is to us. And on background the ballerinas on stage did not fit into the “frame”. Their heads are mercilessly “cut off” by the edge of the picture.

That’s why his favorite dancers are not always depicted in beautiful poses. Sometimes they just do stretching.

But such improvisation is imaginary. Of course, Degas carefully thought through the composition. This is just a freeze frame effect, not a real freeze frame.

Edgar Degas loved to paint women. But illness or characteristics of the body did not allow him to have physical contact with them. He has never been married. No one had ever seen him with a woman.

Lack of real stories in it personal life added a subtle and intense eroticism to his images.

Please note that in the painting “Ballet Star” only the ballerina herself is depicted. Her colleagues behind the scenes are barely visible. Just a few legs.

This does not mean that Degas did not complete the painting. This is the reception. Keep only the most important things in focus. Make the rest disappear, illegible.

Read about other paintings by the master in the article

5. Berthe Morisot (1841 – 1895)

Berthe Morisot is rarely placed in the first row with the great Impressionists. I'm sure it's not deserved. It is in her work that you will find all the main features and techniques of impressionism. And if you like impressionism, you will love her work with all your heart.

Morisot worked quickly and impetuously. Transferring your impression to canvas. The figures seem to be about to dissolve into space.

Like Degas, she often left some details unfinished. And even parts of the model's body. We cannot distinguish the hands of the girl in the painting “Summer”.

Morisot's path to self-expression was difficult. Not only did she engage in “careless” painting. She was still a woman. In those days, a woman was supposed to dream of getting married. After which any hobbies were forgotten.

Therefore, Bertha refused marriage for a long time. Until she found a man who respected her occupation. Eugene Manet was the brother of the artist Edouard Manet. He dutifully yearned for his wife's easel and paints.

But still it was in the 19th century. No, I didn’t wear Morisot trousers. But she could not afford complete freedom of movement.

She couldn't go to the park to work alone. Unaccompanied by someone close to you. I couldn’t sit alone in a cafe. Therefore, her paintings are people from family circle. Husband, daughter, relatives.

Morisot did not wait for recognition. She died at the age of 54 from pneumonia. Without selling almost any of his work during his lifetime. On her death certificate, there was a dash in the “occupation” column. It was unthinkable for a woman to be called an artist. Even if she actually was.

Read about the master’s paintings in the article

6. Camille Pissarro (1830 – 1903)

Camille Pissarro. Non-conflict, reasonable. Many perceived him as a teacher. Even the most temperamental colleagues did not speak badly of Pissarro.

He was a faithful follower of impressionism. In great need, with five children and a wife, he still worked hard in the same style. And I never switched to salon painting. To become more popular. It is not known where he got the strength to fully believe in himself.

In order not to die of hunger at all, Pissarro painted fans. Which were eagerly bought up. But real recognition came to him after 60 years! When he was finally able to forget about his need.

The air in Pissarro's paintings is thick and dense. An extraordinary fusion of color and volume.

The artist was not afraid to paint the most changeable natural phenomena. Which will appear for a moment and disappear. First snow, frosty sun, long shadows.

His most famous works are views of Paris. With wide boulevards, a bustling and colorful crowd. At night, during the day, in different weather. In some ways echoing a series of paintings by Claude Monet.