French Impressionism

French Impressionism

    Impressionism occurred during the mid to late nineteenth century. During this time, art had become a new medium: there appeared wealthy collectors, increasing the number of new prospective painters who hoped to make a fortune selling their art. These young artists sought modern styles, following the changing ideas of society. For example, during the Victorian Era, men dominated the world. This themed is seen in several Impressionism paintings. 
    From Delacroix (1798-1863) came the idea of using color differently, such as in the use of brush strokes side by side and in having the colors mix as they are viewed, rather than on the palette. 
    The new goal of Impressionist painters was to catch the effect of light, and the effect of changing sunlight outdoors. In order to capture the changing light, painters worked with quick brush strokes, leaving detail out. The public was angry at first, because the dabs of paint and quick brush strokes showed no detail and carried an "unfinished" look. However, once the public discovered that they had to step back in order to view the paintings in their fullness, they accepted the new styles. The strong colors and quick brush strokes became characteristic of the 1870s and 1880s. 
    What were some influences on such a change in art? The invention of photography in the nineteenth century eliminated painters for portraits. Thus, painters needed new profitable directions in their work. Japanese color prints were also very popular at that time. They showed artists that less detail could be used in paintings, and it could be used well. Finally, the emergence of new pigments meant that artists had the ability to depict more vibrant images. These new pigments were made from organic materials and minerals. Chemists discovered several new minerals during the 1800s, such as cobalt and magenta.