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Impressionism
A
Brief History |
Impressionism
 During
the early nineteenth century freedom of expression was almost foreign to the art
world. The now famous l863 Parisian Salon des Refuses proved to be a landmark
in the history of Modern art. Napoleon III set up the Salon des Refuses to appease
those painters (Monet, Manet, Pissarro, Whistler,Jongkind and others) who were
insulted by the rejection of their works by the official Salon. Artists who had
gone against established and acceptable painting techniques were given, for the
first time, the right to a public viewing and this exhibition marked the beginning
of an artistic independence. 1
Dusseldorf, Munich and Paris were the three leading art meccas of the nineteenth
century. Although Eugene Delacroix (1799-1863) had taken an independent stand
against the value of technical painting as the Academicians taught it, it was
Claude Monet (1840-1926) who revolutionized art by organizing an independent group
of artists who would exhibit their recalcitrant canvases in an 1874 show which
would shock critics and public alike. The show opened April 15, 1874, and when
Louis Leroy characterized the entire exhibit as an "Exhibition of Impressionists",
a title meant in jest and cued from Monet's painting Impression Sunrise
(l872). the names "Impressionist" and "Impressionism" were
born. 2
Under the
banner of "Impressionism" painters launched an innovative concept of
naturalism, showing new
impressions of the visible world rather than the imitation of exact appearances.
They perceived light as color sensations and were concerned with the effects of
a fluid play of light. Color sensations were perceived as constantly changing,
and forms as light reflected from a surface, while shadows were shown to be lights
of a a lower intensity. Light, not subject matter, became the most important aspect
of their painting and this was foreign to the the Salon painters' ideology. Variations
of hue and intensity of light were stressed. The Impressionists were not dramatically
concerned with line. They applied their paint to the canvas in small daubs and
dashes of paint in order to heighten the effect of vibrations and changes of light
effects. 3
 French
impressionism influenced artists throughout the world,including Americans J. M.
Whistler, Mary Cassatt, John Singer Sargent, Willard Metcalf, John Twactman, Child
Hassam and Englishman Walter Sickert, Italian Giovanni Segantini, and Spaniard
Joaquín Sorolla and Richard Earl Thompson. Impressionism also affected the development
of painting. Painters who began as impressionists created other techniques that
started new movements in art, including pointillism, post-impressionism, cubism,
expressionism to modernism.
In 1986, the deservedly popular Impressionist exhibition title, "The New
Painting: Impressionism, 1874-1886" stimulated curiosity about artists who
have continued this art form. Richard Earl Thompson (1914-1991) was one of these
artists. A dedicated Impressionist, he
devoted a lifetime of effort to capturing the quality of nature's light on canvas
for all to see and enjoy. Challenged by questions and statements such as, "Impressionism
today? Who needs it? It's been done," dedicated painters such as Richard
Earl Thompson could and did answer, "We all do."
Always a favorite with the public, "fresh-air" painting with its loose
brushwork, pleasing images, and particularly, the sparkling light quality which
is inherent in the best of the past works, is equally pleasurable when found in
the best of contemporary work. Richard Earl Thompson strengthened and modified
through personal expression these tenets of Impressionism. Using pigment available
today which the early Impressionists lacked, he achieved even greater variations
of light and color - exuberant color - which in the hands of this gifted artist
inspired masterful works.
 The
current resurgence of interest in Impressionism, following years of erroneously
being referred to all too frequently as just another "pretty picture,"
is welcome. This fine art, when painted with consummate skill, marked by dedication
to color and form is once again receiving recognition. Requiring no text to explain
the art and being free from politics, Richard Earl Thompson's canvases reveal
the beauty and truth or our world as seen through the eyes of an accomplished
20th century painter. History has been recorded in an individualistic manner for
future generations.
A multiplicity of art forms make up our heritage; no one form invalidates another,
but the components of skillful compositions, fine  draftsmanship,
a sure knowledge of and inspired use of color, showing clearly the painstaking
training in the fundamentals marks the work of Richard Earl Thompson. A serious
and competent painter, his large body of work illustrates the technical growth
and development of his own style. in the Impressionistic manner.
Growth in the field of
Impressionism did not end with the eighth Impressionist group show, and with the
widely disseminated knowledge available to the general public today, quality is
readily apparent which explains why there has always been an enthusiastic audience
for the work of Richard Earl Thompson. His ability to capture the color of things
as the sun changes and "recreates" them makes his powerful and pleasing
canvases a life affirming refreshment to the senses and a continuation of the
work begun by those innovative and courageous 19th century painters revered by
the world today.
Footnotes
1,2,3 ©Copyright l982 Richard Thompson Gallery as published in the book written
by Patricia Jobe Pierce titled
"Richard
Earl Thompson, American Impressionist A Prophetic Odyssey in Paint".
Chapter I "American Impressionism-A Brief History". All rights reserved.
©Copyright Richard Thompson Gallery, 1986. All rights reserved |
