Impressionism

One of the major art movements of the 19th century, Impressionism emphasizes the quality of light and movement, candid poses and compositions, and a vivid use of color. Scenes of modern life — lounging by a lake, sitting at an outdoor café — are imbued with a sense of vivacity due to freely applied brushstrokes rather than with lines and contours. The Impressionists tended to paint en plein air, to make the most of the temporal quality of sunlight.