Impressionism is one of the most attractive movements in Western art, seducing us with its vividly coloured and dynamically painted depictions of everyday life. This applies as much today as it did in the late nineteenth century, appealing to societies as diverse in their artistic traditions as America, Japan and Europe. One of the reasons for the wide-ranging attraction of Impressionism lies in the fact that it did not grow out of a homogeneous school of painting, operating within carefully formulated principles. Rather, as one of its leading practitioners, Claude Monet, remarked late in life, it was 'only immediate sensation’and 'a question of instinct'.

Impressionism is one of the most attractive movements in Western art, seducing us with its vividly coloured and dynamically painted depictions of everyday life. This applies as much today as it did in the late nineteenth century, appealing to societies as diverse in their artistic traditions as America, Japan and Europe. One of the reasons for the wide-ranging attraction of Impressionism lies in the fact that it did not grow out of a homogeneous school of painting, operating within carefully formulated principles. Rather, as one of its leading practitioners, Claude Monet, remarked late in life, it was ’only immediate sensation’and ’a question of instinct’.

Introduction

Chapter One

Diccovering Art, 1840-1861

Chapter Two

The Early Years in Paris, 1862-1871

Chapter Three

The’High Impressionist" Years, 1871-1882

Chapter Four

Monet, Master of Impressionism, 1883-1899

Chapter Five

Mlonet"s Travels: Seeking Extremes of Light

  Chapter Six

The Series Paintings

  Chapter Seven

 Monet in the 20th Century

  Chronology

Chronological List of Works

  Index