Impressionism in Art and Music

Impressionism as an art movement started in France and was the first radical break from the past and ultimately became the forerunner of modern art. What caused this change? While many factors contributed, two stood out: the influence of Japanese woodblock prints and photography. In addition to capturing an impression of the moment with quick brush strokes, lush colors, “a bird’s eye view,” and asymmetrical compositions, artists’ subject matter switched from myth, Biblical stories, and portraiture to depicting ordinary people involved in everyday leisure and entertainment activities. As we examine the work of major impressionists and post impressionists starting with Manet, followed by Monet, Cassatt, Renoir, Morisot, Degas, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Toulouse-Lautrec, we will listen to the music of impressionistic composers including Debussy and Ravel.