impressionismo

Impressionismo, known in English as Impressionism, is a 19th-century art movement that originated in France, roughly from the 1860s through the 1880s. It emerged as a reaction against academic painting and the strict rules of the Paris Salon, favoring contemporary life, everyday scenes, and direct observation rather than historical or mythological subjects.

Characterized by short, quick brushstrokes, open compositions, and an emphasis on the effects of light and color, Impressionist painters often painted en plein air to capture the changing conditions of weather and time of day. They employed innovative color theory, placing contrasting colors side by side rather than blending them smoothly to achieve luminous effects.

Prominent figures include Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, Edgar Degas, Berthe Morisot, and Mary Cassatt. Gustave Caillebotte and others contributed to the movement's development. The early exhibitions of the group, beginning with independent shows in the 1870s, helped broaden attendance outside the official Salon and laid the groundwork for modern art.

The movement's influence extended beyond France, feeding into Post-Impressionism and later modern movements that emphasized perception, subjective experience, and experimentation with form and color.