The term 'Impressionist' was first used as an insult in response to an exhibition of new paintings in Paris in 1874. A diverse group of painters, rejected by the art establishment, defiantly set up their own exhibition. They included Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, and Degas.

Today, the Impressionist paintings are some of the best-known and best-loved in the collection. It takes a leap of the imagination for us to realise how radical the movement was considered in its day.

What characterises Impressionism for most people today is both the subject matter and the technique. Landscapes, and scenes from modern urban and suburban life painted in bright, pure colours, are typical. Impressionists often began (and sometimes completed) their paintings outdoors rather in a studio, and their rapidly applied brushstrokes are often visible.

The following sections look at the history and techniques of Impressionism in more detail, and the culture of the 1870s that brought them about.

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