Abby Holbrook

Period 7
Ms. Magee
Art Foundations 2

Impressionism leaves an Impression

This class has helped me identify my personal style and the

artistic techniques I gravitate towards. I see myself as an Impressionist
artist and I will tell you why. I absolutely love the freedom that
impressionism artists have. The strict linear perspective or realistic
view is traded for a loosened, imaginative view infused with soft colors
and what I like to call magic. This magic is the factor that allows
your brain and imagination to see what is only hinted at in the
painting. I have learned the difference in this class between left and
right brain abilities and Impressionism uses both right and left-brain
function. The left-brain sees a portion of the artwork but it takes the
right brain to understand the wholeness of the painting. The right brain
allows you to see the completeness and the complexity in the piece.
Impressionism frees my soul and has left an impression on my heart!
Impressionism is a 19th century art movement that originated
with a group of Paris based artists. Although, I will primarily focus on

Claude Monet there are many other Impressionist artists of this time
period such as Manet, Degas, Cezanne and Renoir.
After a collective art exhibit, French art critic, Louis Leroy in
reviewing the specific artwork of Claude Monet said, Impression I was
certain of it. I was just telling myself that, since I was impressed, there
had to be some impression in it- and what freedom, what ease of
workmanship! A preliminary drawing for a wallpaper pattern is more
finished than this seascape. Even though I doubt he meant to, Leroy
defined what the art movement would be known as. The
Impressionists art did that very thing; they left an impression while
leaving the finishing touches of the painting up to the eyes of the
beholder. Some would criticize the artwork as looking unfinished or of
low quality but to others it was innovative and refreshing.
Interestingly enough, I do not think these were the first
Impressionistic art pieces. I believe Leonardo da Vincis work called,
Head of a Woman, is very whimsical and impressionistic. I feel like
this piece of work left an early impression on the art community
because it allowed for similar techniques to evolve into what is now
known as the Impressionist Movement.
In looking at the Head of a Woman we see elements of
Impressionism. Her face is drawn with exactness and carries a grace of
perfectionism but her hair and body only leave an impression as
though they are unfinished. I believe this was his intent. Leonardo Da

Vinci used his left and right brain to create a piece of work that uses
the whole brain to enjoy it. This painting has magic as Da Vinci hints
at what the woman might be feeling through the softness in her face
surrounded by the
more exactness of fixation of her eyes.

Alexander Hagel wrote of the painting, it is the attitude of

being suspended in a state of mind beyond specific thought-unaware,
even, of its own body here an inner life is suggested by a new order
of pictorial effects, without recourse to action or narrative. Hagel, I
believe is saying that Da Vinci is in fact leaving the interpretation of
the essence of the painting to the beholder. It is a piece of artwork that
is different from the academic norms of his time period. It is a drawing
full of imagination and loose strokes as the womans face hints at so
much more than is visible.

Claude Monet, my favorite artist of the Impressionist Movement

was heavily influenced by his childhood. He grew up in Northern France
and spent a good deal of his childhood walking the beaches and
countrysides of LeHavre. One of the elements of Impressionism was
the portrayal of outdoor scenes. It is actually called, plein air painting
or as interpreted in French, meaning, open (in full) air. Before this
time most of the artwork was done in studios and this movement
changed that and artists then moved into the streets and the
countrysides. Monet believed that all artists have the capability of
seeing art in a more imaginative way. I feel like he was actually
encouraging the usage of right brain creativity. He was quoted as
saying, Impressionism is only direct sensation. All great painters were
less or more impressionists. It is mainly a question of instinct. I love
that he believes we are all capable of both linear and realistic art (or
left brain) but also that of impressionism.
When looking at his art piece entitled, The Sunrise you can
obviously see the elements of Impressionism. Typical of one of his
seaside morning strolls, Monet whisks us to the water in the early
morning hours of the day as the sun is rising over the water. There is
no exactness or realistic modeling of figures but rather impressions
of sky, sea, boats and fishermen outlined only be the shadows and
creativity of our right brain. There is no exactness but only the magic
impressions of his hometown LeHavres harbor. He clearly loosened up

the brushwork and used the lighter color palette to create shadows and
depth to his artwork.

One of the things I like about Impressionistic artwork is the

difference location makes when viewing a piece. For example if you
stand close up to Monets, The Sunrise, you will most likely not grasp
the imagination and beauty in his work.
For example, standing up closet to one of Monets Works will not allow
you to see the whole picture. To fully appreciate a painting of
Impressionism, one must stand back and admire from a distance.
When you take a step or two back, it is like a whole new world unfolds
for you as your imagination (right brain) takes over your literal (left
brain) interpretation and the magic happens as you see the artwork in
a whole new light. Standing back allows you to see the artwork as he
intended. Full of emotion, color, imagination and beauty. You can

almost feel the sun warming you as you stand there looking, watching
the images become clearer.
You may not know this but Monet painted a series of Water Lilies
paintings, nearly 250 in total. He also planted most of these plants
himself, importing some of them from Egypt and South America. He
spent most of his last 30 years of life painting these water lilies on his
property. Even though some critics called his paintings messy and
unfinished, some even hinting they were the result of blurred vision
rather than good vision, Monet continued to paint these lilies and it is a
good thing he did. His water lily series has become the most renown
and prized of all his works. His efforts have embodied what artists call
the Impressionism movement and he has brought joy to so many.
Monet is quoted as saying of his water lily pieces, the illusion of an
endless whole, of water without horizon or bank, the refuge of a
peaceful mediation in the center of a flowering aquarium.
The painting of water lilies is one of the things I like most about
Monet. He uses the hint or impression of water and sky to paint a
peaceful and collectively imaginative picture. His lilies artworks leave
very much to the imagination and whisk me away on a journey as I
look at them. One of my favorite pieces of Monets artwork is, The
Water Lily Pond. Monet uses his instinct of nature and beauty to open
the mind of the viewer to their senses. His loose strokes create depth
and his usage of color create light in his works. As you view the bridge

in this work, it magically draws you into the lush background of trees,
while creating 3-dimensional lilies that seem to jump out at you. For
me this painting opens up the senses and allows my right brain
creativity to flow. I find myself imagining other characters and places
near the bridge. I love the depth of the painting and the angles that
are visible as you move around observing it from different angles. Like
the movement suggests, this painting leaves an impression.

I suppose the socio-cultural influences the Impressionism

Movement had on the world was the acceptability of new painting
styles. The art schools previously had spent an enormous amount of
time teaching the importance of linear composition and drawing but

now it was acceptable to use short brush strokes, color and light to
paint the hint of objects. Rather than realistic views, the art became
subjective to the beholder and looser in paint style. This style
celebrated the simpleness of outdoor life and the beauty captured in
imagination.
This art movement applies to my work because I enjoy the loose
style that leads to imagination and the whimsical. I feel like I am more
drawn to the forgiveness in lack of linear representation and the
celebration of creative brain as the viewer takes a step back and allows
their senses to explode. As I have investigated the journey between
left and right brain and studied different art techniques I have
discovered Impressionism frees my soul and has left an impression on
my heart!

Works Cited
Impressionism; Wikipedia.com
Louis Leroy; Wikiipedia.com
Leonardo Da Vinci: Head of a Woman; www.LeonardoDaVinci.net
Alexander Hagel: the artstory.org
Claude Monet: www.biography.com
The Sunrise by Claude Monet: Impression,
Sunrise:www.totallyhistory.com

Puchke, Kristi. 15 Things You Might Not Know About Monets

Water Lilies;
www.mentalfloss.com
Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies:www.metmuseum.org