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| You are in: Museum of Art >> Hall of Art Movements >> American Impressionists | |
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American Impressionists
United States 1885 - 1930
By Neal McLaughlin
Art collectors are motivated by many factors for decorating their homes, landscapes and office buildings with the creations of world renowned and locally recognized artists.
Some collectors feel a connection with a work of art that transports them back to a memorable period in their life while others appreciate the aesthetic value, which adds to the ambiance of their favorite locale.
Art collecting was, and probably still is, to some degree, a status symbol to the wealth and sophistication of a family name. This most certainly held true for many of the American art patrons following the conclusion of the Civil War in 1865.
Those people fortunate enough to prosper from the 4-year conflict proudly announced their newfound riches through the construction of luxurious homes that were filled with imported ornamental arts and paintings by old masters and fashionable academics.
American art, prior to the Civil War was predominately of the Romantic style: stark, vivid and using a compilation of definite lines and shapes. However, soon after American art collectors began to adorn their lives with the work of renowned artists of Europe, a new movement was underway and would soon take root in the American art community.
Artists of the Impressionist movement had abandoned the traditional techniques of the Romantic movement in favor of a more fluent, free-flowing style to depict their personal experiences.
Unlike the traits associated with Academic artists, Impressionists rejected the idea of total devotion to imaginary subjects and the tedious and meticulous techniques. Instead, they opted for a style in which they could use rapid brushstrokes with a palette of vivid, moving colors.
To the many young American artists whom were studying in Paris this new "radical" style of painting was revolting. J. Alden Weir (1852-1919) who, would later convert to Impressionism, in a letter to his parents described these paintings to be worse than a chamber of horrors! However, for those American painters who were inspired by Impressionism and would subscribe to its theory and practice would find their careers to be both pleasing and profitable.
By the early 1890's, Impressionism had taken firm root in America and as it began to branch outward it would become a recognized valid artistic style. As the Impressionism movement gained momentum new opportunities presented themselves for the many in-demand artists. Some would find themselves in positions of teacher in the new art schools while others, like William Merrit Chase would conduct summer classes for many years to follow.
While most American Impressionists preferred to leave behind the hectic pressures of their urban lives, some artists like Childe Hassam (1859-1935) were captivated by the continuous array of activities and motion which reflected prominently in their finished paintings.
For those Impressionists who needed to escape from the congested and chaotic city life, they were afforded the opportunity to spend time with their colleagues in artist colonies which were secluded and surrounded by the serenity of nature. Others, like Charles H. Davis, who valued the benefit of solitude would spend his time painting in Mystic, along the Connecticut shore.
Although deeply devoted to outdoor painting where they were able capture the effects of natural light and movement over a period of time, American Impressionists never totally abandoned their studio habits. Mary Cassatt, (1845-1926) for instance was inspired by the activities of people and to the domestic life to which they were committed. Many of her paintings, created in her studio, show women and children relaxing in a garden of tranquility or show them engaged in a domestic chore with in interiors that emit a sense of
peace and harmony.
Impressionists expected their art to reflect modern life in a style that was both vibrant and current. Most of these artists were willing to adhere to their convictions in order to achieve this goal. However, there were a select few who were anxious only to accommodate the developing taste of the collectors and these artists merely adopted the surface effect of Impressionism.
Whether these devoted Impressionists were painting the natural surroundings of their colonies, the frantic pace of urban life or creating a serene garden hosting a tea party for mom and child, one element remained; to capture the true essence of Impressionism.