Next, we arrive at the iconic work that gave Impressionism its name: Monet’s Impression, Sunrise.
After being repeatedly rejected by the conservative Salon de paris, Monet and a group of like-minded artists founded the “Société Anonyme des Artistes Peintres, Sculpteurs et Graveurs” in 1874, organizing their first independent exhibition.
At the time, critics and art journalists who visited the exhibition dismissed Monet’s Impression, Sunrise with biting remarks. One notable critique mockingly said, “An impression? Even the wallpaper patterns on the wall are more detailed than this seascape”. Despite the scorn, this painting gave Impressionism its name and heralded the dawn of modern art. It marked a dramatic shift from traditional European art, which had long relied on rigid scientific principles like perspective, structural analysis, and the golden ratio. Instead, Impressionism embraced a freer, more expressive approach, exploring the dynamic interplay of light and color in new and unconventional ways.
Impression, Sunrise captures a view of Monet’s hometown of Le Havre, as seen from a room in the Hôtel de l'Amirauté overlooking the harbor. In the early morning, the water is still shrouded in mist as the sun rises, casting golden-orange light through clouds that retain traces of the night. The sunlight reflects on the water’s surface, and the faint silhouettes of three small boats emerge through the fog. While Impression, Sunrise established the name of the Impressionist movement, it cannot yet be considered a fully realized example of Impressionism. Its treatment of light and color lacks the maturity seen in Monet’s later works. Nonetheless, the painting powerfully conveys a vivid atmosphere, exemplifying Monet’s advice: “Try to forget everything you see before you, and paint what you believe”.
Monet’s art does not record the physical objects themselves but rather the act of seeing and the emotions evoked in the process.
