Impressionism

Discover how scenes of daily life and delicate dabs of colour shocked the art world establishment. In this TASCHEN introduction to Impressionism, explore the artists, subjects, and techniques that first brought the easel out of the studio and shifted artistic attention from history, religion, or portraiture to the evanescent ebb and flow of modern life.

On a tour of the theatres, bars and parks of Paris and beyond, take in the movement's radical innovations in style and subject, from the principle of plein air painting to the rapid, broken brushwork that allowed the Impressionists to emphasise spontaneity, movement and the changing qualities of light.

Take a close look at their unusual new perspectives and their fresh palette of pure, unblended colours, including many vividly bright shades that brought a whole new level of chromatic intensity to the canvas.

Along the way, the book recognises Impressionism's established greats, such as Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, and Camille Pissarro, as well as many associated artists worthy of closer attention, including Marie Bracquemond, Medardo Rosso, and Fritz von Uhde.