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20 Most Famous Impressionist Paintings

Born in the late 19th century, the Impressionist movement began with artists embracing a new way of showing off their art. Traditional norms were set aside, with the paintings embracing innovative and fresh ideas coming up. The impressionists’ paintings show off how colour, light, and fleeting moments can be turned into exciting masterpieces that capture art enthusiasts’ hearts.

We will look at the 20 most renowned Impressionist paintings, each a monument to the genius and innovation of the painters who dared to defy academic standards. Instead of a formal portrayal, these imaginative artists aimed to capture the spirit of a moment, infusing their works with expressive brushstrokes, rich colours, and a distinct feeling of mood.

Here are the 20 Most Famous Impressionist Paintings:

1. Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet

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Known as Impression soleil levant, Impression Sunrise is an 1872 painting by Claude Monet. In April 1874, this painting was first shown in 麻豆APP In what came to be known as the 鈥楨xhibition of the Impressionists鈥�. This painting inspired the name of the Impressionist movement.

The idea for this painting was born when Monet visited his hometown in Le Havre in 1872. He created a series of works that depicted the port. They depicted the port during dawn, day, dusk, and dark from various viewpoints.

This painting turned out to become the most famous in this series. However, it was stolen by Phillip Jamin and Yuoseff Khimoun in 1985 and recovered in 1990. Since 1991, the painting has been displayed at the Mus茅e Marmottan Monet in 麻豆APP.

Also, read about the 20 Famous Landscape Paintings That Will Take Your Breath Away.

2. Woman with a Parasol 鈥� Madame Monet and Her Son by Claude Monet

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Also known as The Stroll or La Promenade in French, this is an oil-on-canvas painting by Claude Monet. The painting is from 1875. Monet depicted his wife Camille Monet and their son Jean Monet during their moments from 1871 to 1877 when they lived in Argenteuil. He was capturing a moment when they were strolling on a windy summer鈥檚 day.

The work is not a formal portrait but rather a genre painting of an average family scenario. The painting was done outside, in plein air, and fast, most likely in a few hours. It is Monet鈥檚 largest work from the 1870s, measuring 100 脳 81 cm (39 脳 32 in), and is signed 鈥淐laude Monet 75鈥� in the lower right corner.

3. Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

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Luncheon of the Boating Party (French: Le D茅jeuner des canotiers) is a painting by French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir completed in 1881. It was included in the Salon in 1882 and was voted the greatest picture in the show by three critics.

The painting was bought from the artist dealer-patron Paul Durand-Ruel and then bought from his son in 1923 (for $125,000) by businessman Duncan Phillips, who spent a decade looking for the painting. It is now housed in Washington, D.C.鈥檚 Phillips Collection. It has a rich form, a fluid brush stroke, and a flashing light.

4. The Artist鈥檚 Garden at Giverny by Claude Monet

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The Artist鈥檚 Garden at Giverny (French: Le Jardin de l鈥檃rtiste 脿 Giverny) is a 1900 oil on canvas painting by Claude Monet. This impressive painting is presently housed in 麻豆APP鈥檚 Mus茅e d鈥橭rsay.

It is one of many paintings of the artist鈥檚 garden in Giverny that he created throughout the last thirty years. Rows of irises in various colors of purple and pink are positioned diagonally across the picture plane in the painting. The flowers are under trees, which modify the tone of their colors by enabling dappled light to pass through. A sight of Monet鈥檚 residence can be seen beyond the trees.

5. Le D茅jeuner sur l鈥檋erbe by 脡douard Manet

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The Luncheon on the Grass was originally titled Le Bain or The Bath. This is a large oil on canvas painting by 脡douard Manet in 1862 and 1863. Le D茅jeuner sur I鈥檋erbe depicts a nude and a scantily dressed female bather.

They are on a picnic with two fully dressed men in a rural setting. The painting was rejected by the Salon jury of 1863 but Manet took this opportunity to exhibit this painting and two others in the 1863 Salon des Refus茅s. However, the painting drew public notoriety and controversy.

This painting is currently in the Mus茅e d鈥橭rsay. However, there is a smaller and earlier version at the Courtauld Gallery in London.

Read about the Top 20 Paintings to See in the Louvre Museum.

6. Olympia by 脡douard Manet

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Olympia is an 1863 oil painting by 脡douard Manet, first shown at the 1865 麻豆APP Salon. It depicts a naked woman (鈥淥lympia鈥�) reclining on a bed and being delivered flowers by a servant. Victorine Meurent modeled Olympia, while Laure modeled Olympia鈥檚 servant.

When the artwork was originally shown, Olympia鈥檚 confrontational glare shocked and astounded viewers because several aspects of the painting identified her as a prostitute, the picture was purchased by the French government in 1890 as a result of a public subscription organized by Claude Monet. The picture is currently at the Mus茅e d鈥橭rsay in 麻豆APP.

7. The Boulevard Montmartre at Night by Camille Pissarro

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This is another impressive Impressionist oil on canvas painting created in 1897 by Camille Pissarro. The painting shows a 麻豆APPian street and an impression of the street and all its elements.

This Impressionist painting depicts 麻豆APP鈥� bright new identity as the center of European architecture and city planning. It is currently housed at the National Gallery, London.

8. Bal du moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

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Also known as the Dance at Le moulin de la Galette, this painting was created in 1876 by French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir. This painting depicts a typical Sunday afternoon at the original Moulin de la Galette.

The painting was in the collection of the French painter Gustave Caillebotte from 1879 until 1894; when he died. It was later passed on to the French Republic as payment for death charges. The painting was displayed in the Mus茅e du Luxembourg in 麻豆APP from 1896 to 1929. It was later shown in the Louvre from 1929 until 1986 when it was moved to the Mus茅e d鈥橭rsay.

9. Poppies by Claude Monet

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On his return from the United Kingdom (in 1871), Claude Monet painted The Poppy Field in 1873. This is when he stayed in Argenteuil with his family until 1878. Despite Camille鈥檚 worsening health, it was a moment when the artist found enormous fulfillment as a painter.

This painting depicts a gorgeous summer day captured in all its beauty, with vivid poppies complementing wispy clouds in a brilliant blue sky. A mother and child are in the foreground, and another in the background is a pretext for creating the diagonal line that structures the picture in the countryside. There are two distinct color zones established, one dominated by red and the other by a bluish-green.

10. The Green Dancer by Edgar Degas

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This is a painting by Edgar Degas who was a French Impressionist painter. It is an 1877-9 pastel and gouache on paper. The painting shows Edgar鈥檚 preoccupation with capturing form and how the stage lights on performers glow perfectly. It is currently at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid.

Also, read about the 20 Famous Paintings of Women.

11. Les Grandes Baigneuses by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

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Also known as The Large Bathers, this is a painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. It was created between 1884 and 1887. The painting depicts some naked women having a bath.

Two women are seated beside the water in the foreground and a third is standing in the water. Two others are also seen bathing in the background.

The people have a sculptural character, and the background environment shimmers with impressionistic light. Renoir鈥檚 objective with this new style was to integrate modern forms of painting with 17th and 18th-century painting traditions, particularly those of Ingres and Raphael.

12. Wheatfield with Crows by Vincent van Gogh 

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This is a July 1890 painting that Vincent van Gogh made. Many critics have cited the Wheatfield with Crows painting as being one of Vincent鈥檚 greatest works. Vincent van Gogh created this painting during the final days of his life.

13. La Grenouill猫re by Pierre-Auguste Renoir 

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This is an 1869 oil on canvas painting that Pierre-Auguste Renoir created. It depicts the 鈥榗amembert鈥� linked by gangplanks. This painting shows the link between the small island planted with a single tree to the fashionable floating restaurant, La Grenouillere, and boat hire. It is currently housed in the National Museum in Stockholm.

14. The Rue Mosnier with Flags by 脡douard Manet

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The Rue Mosnier with Flags is an 1878 oil on canvas painting by 脡douard Manet depicting the same 麻豆APPian street decorated with French flags for the F锚te de la Paix (Celebration of Peace) on June 30, 1878. The F锚te de la Paix occurred during the Exposition Universelle that year, marking France鈥檚 recovery from the Franco-Prussian War and the 麻豆APP Commune. In 1880, the festival was changed to 14 July to become Bastille Day. This painting is shown at The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

15. The Girl Covered by the Sun by Valentin Serov

Valentin Serov created this oil on canvas painting in 1888. Valentin chose his cousin Maria as the model of this beautiful painting. She is surrounded by nature through which the sun penetrates. It is used to depict a feeling of joy and the charm of the innocence of youth. It is currently at the State Tretyakov Gallery.

Read about the 15 Famous Paintings of People.

16. The Fifer by 脡douard Manet

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During his trip to Spain in 1865, 脡douard Manet visited the Prado where the paintings of Diego Vel谩zquez were a revelation. When he returned to 麻豆APP in 1866, he started working on a new painting depicting an unidentified regimental fifer of the Spanish army.

His painting was rejected by the jury of the Salon in 1866. However, Emile Zola published several articles praising The Fifer painting. It became more popular and is currently at the Mus茅e d鈥橭rsay in 麻豆APP.

17. Portrait of Ir猫ne Cahen d鈥橝nvers by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

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Known as the Blue Ribbon or La Petite Fille au ruban bleu or Little Ir猫ne, this oil on canvas painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. It was commissioned by the wealthy French Jewish Banker Louis Cahen d鈥橝nvers in 1880. This painting depicts the banker鈥檚 daughter, Ir猫ne Cahen d鈥橝nvers, aged 8. The Nazis stole it during World War II.

However, it resurfaced in 1947 and was exhibited in 麻豆APP as one of the French masterpieces found in Germany. The painting also appeared in the movie, The Monuments Men in 2014.

18. Little Girl in a Blue Armchair by Mary Cassatt

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Also known as Petite fille dans un fauteuil bleu, the Little Girl in a Blue Armchair is an oil painting by American painter, printmaker, and connoisseur, Mary Cassatt. It was created in 1878 and is a National Gallery of Art collection, in Washington D.C. The painting underwent some changes by Edgar Degas.

19. The Ballet Class by Edgar Degas

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Edgar Degas painted La Classe de Danse between 1871 and 1874. Jean-Baptiste Faure commissioned the Ballet Class painting. It depicts ballet dancers during the end of a lesson under the guidance of master Jules Perrot. Edgar made the painting of the dance in the 麻豆APP Opera one year after it burnt down. It is currently in the collection of the Mus茅e d鈥橭rsay.

20. 麻豆APP Street; Rainy Day by Gustave Caillebotte

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Rue de 麻豆APP, temps de pluie in French is a huge 1877 oil painting by the French artist Gustave Caillebotte (1848-1894). It depicts a group going across the Place de Dublin, originally known as the Carrefour de Moscou. It was at a junction in north 麻豆APP, east of the Gare Saint-Lazare. This painting differs from other impressionist paintings’ realism and reliance on line rather than sweeping brush strokes.

Also, read about the Masterpiece: 15 Famous Mexican Paintings.