5 most famous and groundbreaking impressionist paintings

1.    Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe- Édouard Manet

Artist: Édouard Manet
Date:1862-1863
Where to see it: Musée d’Orsay, Paris

“Dejeuner sur l’Herbe(The Luncheon On the Grass)” is an iconic painting by Édouard Manet that kick-started the impressionist movement. The work depicts a nude woman and two fashionably dressed men having a picnic in a rural setting. The painting caused a scandal due to its unconventional composition and the bold depiction of nudity in a contemporary setting. The painting was rejected from the Paris Salon, and instead displayed in a separate Salon des Refuses (‘Exhibition of the Rejects’). The painting in question attracted hostile reviews at that time, but is now regarded as a pivotal work in the transition from realism to impressionism.

2. Impression Sunrise – Claude Monet

Artist: Claude Monet
Date:1871
Where to see it: Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris

“Impression Sunrise” is a seminal work by Claude Monet, depicting the port of Le Havre, Monet’s home town, at sunrise. The painting from which Impressionism takes its name is characterized by loose brushwork and a vivid color palette, capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. “Impression Sunrise” is an iconic artwork of Impressionism, symbolizing the movement’s emphasis on subjective perception and the beauty of fleeting moments in nature.

3. The Dance Class – Edgar Degas

Artist: Edgar Degas
Date:1874
Where to see it: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

“The Dance Class” by Edgar Degas is a renowned impressionist painting that captures the elegance and motion of ballet dancers in the rehearsal room of the Paris Opera in the early 1870s. Unlike most Impressionists who depicted outdoor scenes, Edgar Degas preferred human subjects and interior spaces. In particular, known for his fascination with the world of ballet, he presents a glimpse into the dedication and discipline of ballet dancers through his fluid brushwork and keen observation.

4. Le Déjeuner des canotiers – Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Artist: Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Date:1881
Where to see it: The Phillips Collection, Washington D.C

“Le Déjeuner des canotiers(Luncheon of the Boating Party)“ is one of the most celebrated Impressionist paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The painting depicts a group of people enjoying a leisurely lunch in a boating party, combining all of the subjects that Renoir loved to paint -still life, portrait, and landscape. The composition is carefully arranged, with the figures engaged in conversation, laughter, and relaxation, embodying the joie de vivre of late 19th-century Parisian societ

Discover Renoir’s another artwork “Bal du Moulin de la Galette”.

5. Paris Street; Rainy Day – Gustave Caillebotte

Artist: Gustave Caillebotte
Date:1877
Where to see it: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago

“Paris Street; Rainy Day“is a key piece of Impressionism by Gustave Caillebotte, epitomizing the urban life in the 19th century. The painting depicts hurried figures walking through a Parisian square, known as the Place de Dublin in a drizzly day. The work employs a striking composition with cropped figures which suggests the influence of photography. While considered an impressionist piece, this masterpiece is not typical of the overall Impressionist style due to its evident realism, delicate brushwork and somber tones rather than relying on broken brushstrokes and brighter palettes.