The only exhibition venue available to painters in 19th-century France was the Paris Salon, which had a jury that selected which submitted works would be displayed. In 1863, the Salon des Refusés was created after Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe by Édouard Manet was rejected. This exhibition showcased more modern works and became especially popular among younger audiences.

However, a new group of young artists who gathered around Manet decided to create an independent exhibition forum, separate from official institutions, to display their far more innovative works. It was in 1874 that the First Exhibition of the Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers took place. It was held in rooms lent by the photographer Nadar.

At this exhibition, Impression, Sunrise, painted by Claude Monet in 1872, was presented for the first time.

The response from the public and critics was one of laughter and ridicule. The critic Louis Leroy mocked both the painting and its title, later writing a hostile review in the newspaper titled “Exhibition of the Impressionists.” It was in this way that the group acquired its current name, which originally had a derogatory meaning.

Nevertheless, Impressionism became a key movement in 19th-century art because it changed the way art was understood and created. It introduced fresh ideas about what to paint and how to paint it, breaking with traditional rules and paving the way for modern painting.

This group of artists no longer sought to represent reality in a detailed and perfect manner; instead, they became more interested in light, color, and capturing a specific moment.

The transformation brought about by this group of artists was influenced by various circumstances that made it possible.

In 1839, Michel Eugène Chevreul published his book On the Law of Simultaneous Contrast of Colors.

Impressionists were also revolutionary in their use of color. Influenced by Chevreul’s theory of “simultaneous contrast,” which states that the perception of a color changes depending on adjacent colors, they used very pure colors and almost completely eliminated black from their palettes. Instead, they achieved mixtures by placing pure colors side by side directly on the canvas.

In 1839, Louis Daguerre introduced the daguerreotype, officially marking the invention of photography.

This new device made it possible to capture fleeting light and atmosphere at a specific moment. Photography greatly helped Impressionist painters and influenced them to create bold compositions, where the focal point is often shifted to the edges and scenes appear incomplete, encouraging the viewer to imagine a world beyond the canvas.

The American artist John G. Rand invented oil paint tubes in 1841.

These tubes replaced pig bladders and glass syringes previously used to store pigments, allowing painters to transport their materials more easily and paint outdoors. They painted en plein air to capture fleeting moments of everyday life. To achieve this, they used loose and rapid brushstrokes, aiming to emphasize the essence of the subject rather than its details. This new approach to outdoor painting elevated landscape from a minor genre to one of the most frequently explored subjects by Impressionists.

“It’s not about following rules or principles, but about painting what one observes and what one feels." - Camille Pissarro