Impressionism takes its name from an expression used by the art
critic Louis Leroy, following an exhibition organized in the
studio of photographer – Nadar – in 1874. The journalist was an
ardent critic of the movement initiated by a group of artists,
symbolized by the painting entitled “Impression, soleil levant”
by Claude Monet. Impressionism is not an accurate portrayal of
nature but rather a subjective vision thereof. The artist no
longer concerns himself with detail, abandoning shadow, precise
lines and contours in favor of a fleeting impression. While
impressionism was all about painting the outside, what sets
impressionist art apart from landscape art is its capacity to
capture the ephemeral. Impressionist works are rarely without a
human presence, immortalized in a rural or urban setting. These
scenes are brought to life and take on their full meaning
through the use of intense colors and a juxtaposition of
contrasting shades, the veritable symbol of impressionism. The
impressionists upset established