The French Impressionists were a group of artists from diverse backgrounds who came together in Paris in the 1860s. Opposed to the restrictive painting rules promoted by the traditional studios and the state-run School of Fine Arts (Ecole des Beaux-Arts), they exhibited their paintings independently of the official Paris Salon from 1874-1886. They were influenced by their French predecessors known as the Barbizon School, as well as by English painters, especially John Constable and J.M.W. Turner. The Impressionists included Claude Monet, Paul Cezanne, Edouard Manet, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, Edgar Degas, Auguste Renoir, Berthe Morisot and the American Mary Cassatt among others. Impressionists focused on portraying everyday life rather than religious or historical subjects. Using swift brushstrokes to capture transient qualities of light and color in the outdoors as well as modern life in the cities, their painting methods and subjects initially offended the critics and the public who harshly criticized and ridiculed them. Yet eventually the Impressionists were accepted, especially after their works were warmly received by Americans during their first exhibition in the U.S. in 1886. The Impressionists would have a major, lasting influence on modern art, including on American Impressionist painters. Not surprisingly, hundreds of aspiring American artists moved to Paris to study with the new masters. Today Impressionist paintings are universally admired and exhibited throughout the world. In class, we will discuss the art, lives, and legacy of the French Impressionists as well as the dynamic cultural world of Paris which inspired them.



Mary Louise Loe taught in the History Department from 1973. She retired in 2012 and continues to teach part-time. She received her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an M.A. and Ph.D. from Columbia University. Her specialties include Russian History, European History and Modern Human Rights.