Impressionism

Lesson 1: Origins of Impressionism

Romanticism

The great rival of Ingres, who is considered a Classicist, was Eugene Delacroix, the greatest exponent of Romanticism.

Delacroix is probably the most famous French artist of the early to mid-19th century. He was the epitome of the Romantic sensibility. His themes were often exotic or heroic: Arab harems, wild animals and passionate ideals like those espoused by the French Revolution (e.g., Liberty, Equality, Fraternity).

Delacroix was the last great painter in the Renaissance tradition. He also provided a link to the Impressionists painters through his loose drawing and brushwork, and his use of vibrant colors.

The painting below shows Delacroix's use of a painterly approach to depict a classical scene. The subject is not idealized. You could say it depicts a brutal realism that up until this period had not figured in classical painting.



The Death of Sardanapalus, Delacroix, 1827, Louvre, Paris.

I think that Delacroix is the pivotal figure in the move towards the Impressionist style of painting. He had the technical abilities to produce the classical type of painting taught by the academy. However, with his use of color and innovative elements in his brushwork and in composition, he stands mid-way between the old and the new in 19th century French art.

Visit this site on Delacroix to learn more about the artist. Try to identify some of the many different exotic themes Delacroix used in his paintings: http://www.abcgallery.com/D/delacroix/de...

For further information on Delacroix and Romanticism, I suggest reading pages 18-19 in Impressionist Art - A Crash Course.

Optional Activity
Do a search of the Louvre Web site to find works of 18th and 19th century French artists that are characterized by the academic style against which the Impressionists rebelled. Look at such classical artists as Ingres, David, and Gericault. Then look for such Baroque artists as Fragonard and Watteau and Romantic artists such as Delacroix.

Investigate what aspect of their styles differed from the strict academic style. Note the differences in subject matter, colour and brushwork. Also note the transition from the refined, analytical style of the neo-Classicicsts such as Ingres and David, through the loose brushwork and romantic subject matter of Delacroix to the outdoor landscapes and peasant scenes of Corot, Courbet, and the Barbizon School.

Here's the link to the Louvre: http://www.louvre.fr/louvrea.htm Click on "Collections", then "Paintings", then "Selected Works" and finally "18th" and "19th century France".

Also check out the American National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. at http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/fr...

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