The Impressionists were a band of French painters who staged an exhibition in 1874 — and forever changed the art world.

The term “Impressionism” is used to describe their work and the movement they became known as. But the term wasn’t coined until later, by an art critic with a penchant for sarcasm.

Today, we take Impressionism for granted, but it was a revolutionary movement that paved the way for modern artists like Cézanne, Degas and Renoir to gain recognition later on (to say nothing of others like Picasso).

Here are five Impressionist artists you should know about.

The Impressionist movement was formed in France in the 19th century. During this period, Parisian artists began to break away from the strict, traditional rules of painting and advocate for a more loose, expressive style that focused on capturing light and color.

The leaders of the Impressionist movement were Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Edgar Degas and Camille Pisarro. Although they did not know each other well while they were alive, these 5 Impressionist artists all shared a common goal: to capture an impression of the subject or scene being painted.

One thing that makes Impressionist paintings so fascinating is their simplicity. They are so easy to identify with, and they are also quite relatable. The Impressionist movement was initiated in the 19th century, and it has evolved over time to become what we see today.

Here are some Impressionist artists that you should know about:

Claude Monet

Claude Monet is regarded as one of the founders of the Impressionist movement. He was born on November 14, 1840 in Paris, France. In his early years, he studied at École des Beaux-Arts under the instruction of Frédéric Bazille.

Monet’s artistic career started when he became a part of the Paris Salon exhibitions in 1864 and 1865 as a portrait artist. After 2 years, he began to be influenced by Camille Pissarro and Edgar Degas and had interests in new art movements such as Realism, Naturalism and Impressionism. In 1874, he exhibited many of his works including “Pommes et Fleurs”.

In 1883, Monet did his first series of water lily paintings at Giverny which would lead to a lifelong interest in this subject matter. He was quoted saying

The Impressionists were a group of artists who changed the history of art by challenging the way art was previously made with the introduction of new painting techniques, subject matter and styles. They were considered to be the first artistic movement to make a deliberate break from tradition.

Towards the end of the 1800s, when the Impressionist movement was in full swing, Paris was considered to be a cultural capital of Europe. The city was highly regarded for its arts and culture, which attracted some of the most creative individuals in France at that time. Art critics and artists began to take notice of innovative artists such as Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas and Claude Monet.

By 1882, Monet had received his first exhibition at the Salon des Indépendants where his work immediately garnered attention from art critics.

Although not all Impressionist works were painted outdoors or en plein air (French for “in the open air”), many were created outside as an attempt to capture natural light as opposed to studio artificial light. Some impressionist works can be seen taking place on French beaches or in city streets where they would study people interacting with one another through their art.

The most defining aspect of this movement was

Art is a way to express ourselves and connect with other people. In the Impressionist era, it became a new way for artists to express themselves. They were trying to capture and interpret what they were experiencing around them. They were striving for a new style.

Impressionism is a style of painting that became popular in France during the 1870s. The movement began with a small group of artists called the Impressionists, led by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet and Alfred Sisley.

The Impressionists were not revolutionaries looking to overthrow the accepted ways of painting. Instead, they were inspired by the works of painters like Delacroix, Manet, and Pissarro who had pioneered techniques such as using light colors, painting outdoors and breaking up a subject into small areas of color. They wished to capture their subjects as they appeared in real life using these techniques.

Towards this end, the Impressionists used bright colors and strong brushstrokes to capture fleeting moments in time. Their paintings often captured scenes from everyday life such as landscapes, portraits and even still lifes. Over time, this style of painting became known as “Impressionism.”

I believe that the Impressionist movement is one of the most important artistic movements in history. The Impressionists were responsible for revolutionizing painting, sculpture and photography. Their bold new ideas and techniques have influenced generations of artists since their emergence during the 19th century.