Impressionism is a style of art that emerged in the late 19th century characterized by the use of light and color to convey the impression of a scene rather than a realistic depiction. The spelling of "impressionism" is derived from the French word "impressionnisme" [ɛ̃.pʁɛ.sjɔ.nism] which is pronounced with a nasal vowel sound at the beginning and emphasizes the "s" and "n" sounds in the middle. The English spelling of "impressionism" closely reflects the French pronunciation and is pronounced [ɪmˈprɛʃənɪzəm].
Impressionism is an artistic movement that emerged in the late 19th century, primarily in France. It is characterized by a focus on depicting the fleeting, instantaneous aspects of a scene or subject matter rather than the precise details. Impressionist painters sought to capture the essence or impression of a moment, emphasizing the ever-changing effects of light, color, and movement.
This movement was a significant departure from the earlier traditional and academic styles of painting, as it aimed to convey the artist's immediate and personal visual experience rather than conforming to strict rules or conventions. Impressionists often employed loose brushwork and visible, quick brushstrokes to create an illusion of spontaneity and to evoke the momentary quality of their observations.
Furthermore, impressionist artists frequently depicted outdoor scenes, such as landscapes or cityscapes, capturing the play of natural light and its reflections on various surfaces. They utilized vibrant, pure colors, often applied in small, separate strokes, to convey the shimmer and transience of the natural world. By avoiding rigid contours and instead focusing on depicting the interplay of light and color, this style aimed to evoke a sense of atmosphere and fleeting impressions.
The impressionist movement had a significant impact on the development of modern art, inspiring subsequent generations of artists to explore new approaches to composition, color, and technique. Today, impressionism remains celebrated for its expressive portrayal of subjective experience and its innovative interpretation of the visual world.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "impressionism" originated from the French term "impressionnisme" which was coined by Louis Leroy in a satirical review of the 1874 Paris Salon exhibition. Leroy used the term to mock the painting "Impression, Sunrise" by Claude Monet. The painting was characterized by its loose brushwork and emphasis on capturing fleeting atmospheric effects, instead of depicting detailed and precise representations. The term "impressionnisme" was derived from the French verb "impressionner" meaning "to impress or make an impression". It later became widely used to describe the artistic movement that emphasized capturing immediate sensory impressions rather than detailed realism.