Assignment: Impressionism

Use the web resources for this unit to visit the sites covering Impressionism and further explore at least two Impressionist artists.

Based upon your own observations, the information you've learned from visiting the web sites, your textbook, and the research you conduct using the library and the Internet, answer the following questions:

• Why did so many people react negatively toward the Impressionist painters, and what did the artists do about that? What are some examples of the paintings that shocked the public and paintings that people applauded? Include the names of the artists with the names and dates of the paintings using APA format. Do you believe the public was overreacting to these paintings? Why or why not. Draw upon what you have learned about the changes in culture thus far when forming your answer.

• Impressionist painters were influenced by changing society in France, new developments in Paris, the attitudes of intellectuals and art critics, the fleeting aspects of nature, and new technologies of the Industrial Revolution. Give an example of each of these aspects as well as the paintings in which they were expressed. What do you think was among the most important changes that occurred during this period and how might it have affected the artists?