Impressionist Paintings
Emerging in 19th-century France, Impressionist art embraced loose brushwork and plein-air painting to respond to the movement of daily life. Although the pioneers of the Impressionist movement — Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir — are now household names, their work was a radical break with an art scene led and shaped by academic traditions for around two centuries. These academies had oversight of a curriculum that emphasized formal drawing, painting and sculpting techniques and historical themes.
The French Impressionists were influenced by a group of artists known as the Barbizon School, who painted what they witnessed in nature. The rejection of pieces by these artists and the later Impressionists from the salons culminated in a watershed 1874 exhibition in Paris that was staged outside of the juried systems. After a work of Monet’s was derided by a critic as an unfinished “impression,” the term was taken as a celebration of their shared interest in capturing fleeting moments as subject matter, whether the shifting weather on rural landscapes or the frenzy of an urban crowd. Rather than the exacting realism of the academic tradition, Impressionist paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings represented how an artist saw a world in motion.
Many Impressionist painters were inspired by the perspectives in imported Japanese prints alongside these shifts in European painting — Édouard Manet drew on ukiyo-e woodblock prints and depicted Japanese design in his Portrait of Émile Zola, for example. American artists such as Mary Cassatt and William Merritt Chase, who studied abroad, were impacted by the work of the French artists, and by the late 19th century American Impressionism had its own distinct aesthetics with painters responding to the rapid modernization of cities through quickly created works that were vivid with color and light.
Find a collection of authentic Impressionist art on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Bluebonnet flowers grow on the side of the road on a hilltop plateau near Carta Valley, Texas. Their petals show a vibrant contrast to the lush greens of the ...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
1990s Impressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Artist Comments
A river gorge reflects the calm colors of the expansive sky filled with soft, billowy clouds. Distant hills lining the horizon fade into mist. A dreamy atmosp...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Paintings
Oil
1980s Impressionist Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Gouache
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Early 2000s Impressionist Paintings
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1920s Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Narrow train tracks run from Santa Fe to Lamy, New Mexico, accompanied by a hiking path that runs alongside. Early spring light adds warmth to the scene, whil...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Paintings
Acrylic
1910s Impressionist Paintings
Oil, Illustration Board
20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil, Board
Early 2000s Impressionist Paintings
Watercolor
20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Laid Paper, Oil
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Oil, Board
1960s Impressionist Paintings
Watercolor
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1910s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1910s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Pastel
Early 2000s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
Early 20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Early 19th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil
1930s Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil
20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Early 2000s Impressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1950s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Early 2000s Impressionist Paintings
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Sunlight filters through lush foliage, casting dappled light on the river in Estella, Spain. Earthy tones define the rustic buildings lining the riverbank whi...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Linen, Oil
Artist Comments
The serene waters, colorful trees, and majestic mountains contribute to the enchanting ambiance of Lake Tahoe. The vibrant hues and rich texture capture the s...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Paintings
Oil
20th Century Impressionist Paintings
Oil
1960s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Loose brushwork and bold palette knife techniques lend an impressionistic quality to this lush bouquet of roses. The rich texture brings the painting to life,...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Early 1900s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Impressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas