Impressions

[sleigh]

Denise and I went to see an exhibit of several Monet paintings at the Art Museum yesterday -- some gorgeous paintings, though I tend to prefer the earlier, atmospheric Monet to the 'thicker' paintings of his later years. I like both, though, and it was wonderful to be able to be able to closely examine the brushstrokes on the canvas.

Made me wonder, though, why the Impressionists remain so popular over a century on. Impressionist exhibitions are always well-attended, and both Denise and I found the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, with its spectacular range of Impressionist art, to be delightful.

What is it about the Impressionists that make them possibly the most beloved period of fine art?

Comments

[maiac.livejournal.com]

Darned good question. Pure speculation here... Orson Scott Card once said that the most successful science fiction is "strange, but not too strange". Maybe the same is true for Impressionism. The images give us literally a different way of seeing the world, but we do see our familiar world in them. We're challenged without being threatened.

The subject matter may be a factor, too. The formal portraits and religious/mythological subjects of older genres may not appeal to modern audiences. But we can relate to the everyday scenes and everyday people in Impressionist paintings.