Timeless beauty of Impressionism
What is Impressionism, and why is this style of painting so appealing?
Impressionism is one of the most significant art movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, originating in France and later spreading throughout the world. Representatives of Impressionism sought to develop methods and techniques that could most naturally and vividly capture the real world in its movement and change, conveying their fleeting impressions.
At the heart of the Impressionist method, which can be characterized as the quintessence of painting, lies the perception and representation of objects in relation to the surrounding spatial and light-air environment: reflections, glints, warm-cold relationships of light and shadow; more broadly, to capture space and time itself.
By focusing their attention on tonal relationships and values, painters softened the lines, composition, sense of form, and materiality of depicted objects. The fusion of color and form proved to be a challenging task.
Thanks to this vivid combination of different shades of colors, glimmers, and the active play of light and shadow, an Impressionist-style painting becomes truly alive. It seems as though there is movement on the canvas. We feel as if we are witnessing life within the painting in real-time. This is what makes Impressionism so beautiful. Despite the lack of clear outlines and contours present in realism, objects are well discernible and, moreover, appear more alive than they would with very distinct delineations. Incidentally, this realistic sharpness would deprive the painting of life and movement within.
Additionally, we can observe how interestingly the image can change depending on the distance at which the observer stands and the angle of view.
Impressionist artists remarkably convey not only color and form through their brushstrokes but also the mood of the painting, evoking specific emotions and emotional states. This is what makes this style so captivating.
An Impressionist-style painting enlivens any space, bestowing upon it an unusual atmosphere and even a sense of magic. After all, such works represent a whole living world on the canvas – a beautiful world, an interesting world, a world brimming with emotions, feelings, and experiences.
Moreover, it is challenging to grow tired of such a painting since it is perceived differently each time it is viewed. It strikes different chords within our souls, evokes various thoughts and feelings, or simply fills us with a sense of harmony.
By Ajay Goyal & Veronika Tulaeva