Impressions on Impressionism

Living in an artistic hub like New York City, Stuyvesant students have access to some of the most diverse and unique art in the world. However, artists haven’t always had the luxury of this level of self-expression. Art used to have much more rigid limitations, and artists were often confined to a small box of what was considered acceptable. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a new form of art challenged the status quo, breaking free of these boundaries and unleashing a new, almost revolutionary, artistic genre.

Impressionism began as a radical break from the rigid and traditional ideals of the Royal Academy of Art in Paris, founded in 1648 by King Louis XIV. Rejected by the Salon de Paris, the academy’s official art exhibition, early Impressionists formed the Anonymous Association of Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers, etc and held an independent exhibition in 1874 later dubbed the First Impressionist Exhibition.

The term “Impressionism” comes from one artwork displayed at the 1874 exhibition: Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet, an artist who later became synonymous with the Impressionist movement. Impression, Sunrise is a hazy and misty depiction of a French port, with small boats on a warm, sunlit background. It features a bright red sun, its vibrancy contrasting with the pastel palette of the rest of the painting. Impressionist paintings such as this one are characterized by loose brush strokes that capture the essence of a subject rather than its precise, realistic details. Art of this period used varied light, color, and texture to create an inherently ambiguous reality. When viewed up close, Impressionist art can appear messy, choppy, and even chaotic. However, it is meant to be viewed from a distance, which allows the eye to naturally blend colors together and bring the painting to life. Artists saw this as a more organic way to experience art as opposed to hyperrealism, which could sometimes feel overly intense.

Though it is beloved today by art enthusiasts and everyday art lovers alike, Impression, Sunrise’s initial reception was very poor, drawing criticism from painter Louis Leroy, who coined the term “Impressionism” as an insult to the apparent sloppiness and unfinished look of the painting as a result of its unorthodox brush strokes.

Today, Impressionist paintings are well beloved, with Meules by Monet even selling for $110.7 million at auction by Sotheby’s New York in 2019. Despite changing trends in visual art, Impressionism maintains its relevance and continued popularity. However, the Impressionist movement was not limited to visual art; music also saw a huge breakthrough and stylistic shift.

Various forms of art tend to mirror each other through history, such as visual art, dance, literature, and music. In the Impressionist movement, music developed alongside art, with Impressionist music reflecting the hazy and fluid nature of its artistic counterpart. One of the most defining characteristics of music from this era is the use of unconventional scales. While western classical music has historically been built on the traditional major and minor scales—also known as Ionian and Aeolian—Impressionist composers like Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, and Lili Boulanger branched out into whole-tone scales, pentatonic scales, and modes, such as Dorian, Lydian, and Phrygian. These extended scale systems gave composers access to new and unique ways of expression and contributed to the lush and shimmery sound of Impressionist music.

Impressionist composers also broke traditional classical music rules. In Western music theory, parallel fifths and octaves are strictly forbidden, as they are said to diminish the individuality of each melodic and harmonic line. Debussy’s La Cathédrale Engloutie opens with clear, unapologetic parallel fifths, octaves, and chords. While classical music purists would label it as wrong and even scandalous, Impressionist composers pushed the boundaries of music and artistically bent rules to achieve their desired effects.

The influence of Impressionism remains alive and well, particularly in New York City, which is home to one of the most extensive collections of Impressionist art in the world—the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York City also has a thriving classical music scene, and the New York Philharmonic and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra frequently feature Impressionist composers on their programs. Free or low-cost ways to access not just Impressionist music, but music as a whole include student recitals at the Juilliard School, the Mannes School of Music, and the Manhattan School of Music, as well as high school student orchestras and chamber music performances. 

Stuyvesant students and New York City residents as a whole are very fortunate to have access to such an expansive and dynamic network of art. Whereas art has historically been reserved for the elite and wealthy, Stuyvesant students should take advantage of the unique, low-cost opportunities that New York City offers for experiencing art. Perhaps some will even come across a newfound love for Impressionism.