Homeschooling Chronicles - Impressionism

Students' first impression of the Impressionist Movement when they visit their local art museum might be that they are simply looking at “pretty pictures” without a deeper meaning. But this is not true. Impressionist painters and sculptors were seen as renegades in their time because they chose subject matter and methods that were considered radical. They were shunned by the established art world and ridiculed for their work. For some, recognition did not come until late in life, or after their death.

While it is true that Impressionists often had a hard time getting their work shown while they were alive, their work is a familiar sight in modern times. Students can explore how shunned Impressionist art became popular. Here is how they did it. Impressionist artists banded together to fight the conventions of their day. They wanted to depict the world realistically. Their thirst to capture a subject "in the moment" led to techniques and approaches that are seen today in contemporary artwork.

Students can see the evolution of Impressionist art in an exhibition from the Musée d’Orsay, which is making its way to select museums throughout the United States. The exhibition, "The Birth of Impressionism:  Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay," recently came to my area, so we went to visit. The exhibit focuses on the beginning of Impressionism. Originally, Impressionism was a derogatory term coined by an art critic  named Louis Leroy. Here is what he had to say about the movement;  “Impression I was certain of it. I was just telling myself that, since I was impressed, there had to be some impression in it — and what freedom, what ease of workmanship! A preliminary drawing for a wallpaper pattern is more finished than this seascape.”

My children were meticulous in viewing the exhibit. Instead of the usual wild sprint through the museum, I asked them to analyze what they were seeing. I asked them to pick two paintings to compare.  Each child listened carefully to the taped tour provided by the museum, then picked the paintings that left the biggest ‘impression’ upon them.

At home, we researched the artists and their work. My older child was required to create an intricate paper, detailing the evolution of the movement and outlining the artistic approach. My younger son used pictures and short explanations to write his analysis. Both had to identify the specific techniques used by Impressionists in each painting selected. 

As an enrichment exercise, we watched the video BBC video "The Impressionists." This miniseries traces the key players in the Impressionist movement.  It chronicles their lives from diaries, articles and letters. It really illuminates the impressionists' struggle to be recognized. 

The biggest surprise from the exhibit, and our subsequent study, was discovering the amount of time and effort needed to produce a work of art. Even an analysis of art takes time. One must build upon the original idea in a step by step method.