Claude Monet
Have you ever asked yourself why Impressionism is called Impressionism?
It is all because of this painting.
When it hung at the exhibition of a group of friends in Paris in 1874, art critic Louis Leroy derisively used the term “Impressionistic,” from the title of this painting, to describe Monet’s work. This term was quickly adopted by what were soon to be known as the Impressionist painters, and the exhibition, which included other works by Impressionist artists, was from then on referred to as the “Impressionist Exhibition.”
The scene painted here was of the harbor at LeHavre, France. It's a typical Monet work; sketched in oil paints on canvas, and executed quickly, to capture the moment’s atmospheric or natural light. It was painted when Monet was on vacation, looking out of his window one spring morning. His quick sketches, or pochade, capture a particular light effect, therefore, they are very spontaneous. Because Monet did not feel that there was enough detail to title the painting Harbor of LeHavre, the name Impression, Sunrise was given and Monet titled most of his paintings “Impression” for this reason.
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