On the 15th April 1874, exactly 150 years ago to the day, an exhibition opened at 35 boulevard des Capucines in Paris organised by the Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors and Engravers, a group of artists who wanted to be free from the rules and restrictions of the French art establishment. Claude Monet had nine paintings in the exhibition, including a small view of the harbour at Le Havre, to which he had swiftly given the title “Impression, Sunrise”.
At that time, Monet could never have imagined that this painting would give its name to the world’s most famous art movement. The Impressionist painters were innovative and radical. They used new colours and techniques to create paintings of modern life, often painted outside capturing the effects of light with speed and spontaneity. In 1874 their paintings shocked and horrified the art establishment. Today they are prized by museums and private collectors all over the world.
So, as we wish Impressionism a happy 150th birthday, let’s celebrate the artists who strived for creative freedom and whose paintings offer us a new way of seeing the world, full of colour and light.
- by Sarah Burles
Sarah Burles was one of several ACE Tour Directors sharing their expertise on our Seine River Cruise in April 2024, where our group had the chance to see Monet's Impression, Sunrise and other works from artists of this beloved movement. Click here to view all our Art History tours.
Impression, Sunrise, Claude Monet, 1872. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
