Glossary: Impressionism

Impressionist painting developed in France first by Monet and others from early 1860s. It was based on the simple practice of painting finished pictures "plein air" or out of doors, as opposed to simply making sketches on the spot. It's often forgotten that this was nothing new as Constable was perfecting this technique from the early years of the 19th century. What we see is a greater understanding of light and colour and the shifting patterns of nature. The artists developed a new way of working with fast brush strokes and the dabbing of paint on to the canvas. The results showed an immediacy and spontaneity that had been lacking in French art in particular.