Impressionism

Impressionism: “a theory or practice in painting especially among French painters of about 1870 of depicting the natural appearances of objects by means of dabs or strokes of primary unmixed colors in order to simulate actual reflected light.” (“Impressionism.“) During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s a revolution in art began in France. Impressionism was a drastic change from the artwork from the Renaissance and the period of Romanticism in art. It was also the beginning of modern art. Famous Impressionistic artists include – a man dubbed the leader of Impressionism – Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin, Mary Cassatt, and Auguste Renoir. 
Impressionism can be characterized by short, quick brush strokes that when being viewed from a very close distance looks disarranged and absurd. Yet, when these paintings are viewed from far away they are beautiful and organized.