Impressionism Although the Term Impressionism Term Paper

In reality, Van Gogh did not seek nor did he analyze the harmony of nature here; instead, he transformed it by projecting a vision entirely all his own.

In conclusion, the great Impressionist painters revealed in their work a restless, self-conscious search for freedom of expression so characteristic of the late 1880's and into the early years of the 20th century. Their desire for a more modern form of expression led them to prize the immediacy of visual impression and persuaded those that followed to revel in a spontaneous atmosphere and climate so characteristic of the Impressionist period. As John Rewald informs us, the Impressionists bore more than mere feelings and imaginations, for they depended upon purely visual sensations while acknowledging that "the world. . . is no longer a given order of masses. . . It is the source of sensations of light and color with no fixed order, (for) the only order is that which the artist creates from his own optical experiences" (189). It is interesting to note that the renovations of Paris by Baron Haussmann inspired later architectural designers to renovate the Musee d'Orsay which in the later years of the Impressionist movement showcased the paintings of the great Impressionist masters, an event which might not have occurred if Baron Haussmann had not literally destroyed Medieval Paris brick by brick which brought the city into the modern age.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Adams, Laurie S. A History of Western Art. 3rd. ed. New York: McGraw-Hill College Division, 2001.

"Impressionism: Art and Modernity." Timeline of Art History. Internet. 2005. Accessed march 10, 2005. http://www.netmuseum.org/toah/hd/imm/hd_imml.htm.

Miller, Margaret, ed. Paul Klee. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1956.

Rewald, John. Studies in Post Impressionism. New…