June 2025 - Art of the Ages #2: Impressionist Inspiration

The Boulevard Montmartre at Night

You may pass these striking paintings from time to time as you stroll down the rich hallways of the Philadelphia Museum of Art or the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, wondering what makes their evocative landscapes and rough textures so compelling. Known for their start as a rebellious art movement against the formal academic paintings of the 20th century French norm, Impressionist paintings were founded on vivid ideals and fleeting moments, capturing the transient effects of light and atmosphere. The movement began in the late 19th century with artists such as Claude Monet, whose Impression, Sunrise gave the movement its name, as well as Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Camille Pissarro. These artists rejected the rigid techniques of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, favoring loose brushwork and outdoor scenes that emphasized natural light. Their groundbreaking exhibitions, beginning in 1874, challenged the establishment and laid the foundation for modern art. Their influence can still be seen today in contemporary art's emphasis on personal expression and experimentation with light and color. Impressionism also paved the way for later movements like Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, and even Abstract Expressionism, shaping the trajectory of modern visual culture.

Impression, Sunrise

However, past their expressive colors and bold movement, there is another unique aspect to Impressionist paintings: the perspective. Not the perspective inside the painting that most are used to triangulating, but the perspective of the viewer looking at the painting. Standing up close to the piece, you can see the individual marks and patterns as if the painter had just set down his brush for a brief moment. It may look a little messy, as if random colors were chosen indiscriminately. But take a few steps back, and you’ll see the image blend together, completely transforming into a different work. Everything somehow falls into place, colors perfectly coming together to show a beautifully cohesive and unified environment.

One example of this is with Monet, who was a pivotal figure in the Impressionist movement. He showed earnest dedication to capturing the transient effects of light and atmosphere in his paintings. In the latter part of his life, Monet focused extensively on his water lily garden in Giverny, producing approximately 250 paintings of water lilies over three decades. These works evolved into large-scale, immersive panels that emphasized the interplay of light, water, and flora, reflecting his deepening abstraction and introspection in his water lily garden.

To display these long paintings, Monet delineated a unique installation for eight of these monumental panels, designing them to be displayed in two oval rooms at the Musée de l'Orangerie. This arrangement, resembling the infinity symbol, was intended to provide viewers with a continuous, meditative experience of the water lily scenes. The rooms were constructed to allow natural light to illuminate the paintings, enhancing their atmospheric qualities. Not only did the room itself contribute to the piece’s calming effect, but the aforementioned quality difference made the museum experience much more memorable.

For instance, look at this painting titled The Water Lilies - Clear Morning with Willows. Up close, it looks disorganized and simplistic, with the hanging willow leaves absent of visible refinement or detail. However, with a wider perspective a little further back from the painting, everything blends together and forms a picturesque view into Monet’s water lily garden that morning. His brushstrokes are loose, yet come together perfectly to create one unified image.

The Water Lilies - Clear Morning with Willows

Just like viewing an Impressionist painting, creating art isn't only about the image itself, but about how it's experienced by others. Monet understood this deeply—his design for the Water Lilies installation at the Musée de l'Orangerie was as much about the viewer’s journey as it was about the paintings themselves. He arranged the panels in oval rooms with natural lighting, creating a calm, immersive environment where the viewer could slowly take in the work from different distances and angles, which influenced the level of detail and shadow present in the piece. This shows how powerful art can be when the artist thoughtfully considers how it will be seen, felt, and remembered. As artists, we should think beyond the canvas and imagine how our audience will move through, respond to, and connect with what we create.