Paris Vignettes: Impressionist Inspiration

Recently I took a guided walk that I discovered through the l’Officiel des Spectacles on the Impressionists who lived in/near Batignolles. The guide, Romain, spoke super clear French on this balade as we walked from Metro Europe to the Square des Batignolles, highlighting the area’s intersection with the Impressionists. In fact, it was an informative overview of the whole Impressionist movement, detailing how the artists were such outcasts that they created a “Salon de Refusés” to exhibit their art.

Romain used a flipbook of many prints to explain the history in detail. For example, he explained how the availability of paint in tubes catalyzed the the movement, allowing artists to transport their materials for plein air painting. He also described how the intersection of Impressionism and photography marked a pivotal moment in the history of art, showcasing how these two mediums cross-pollinated and transformed each other (e.g. the cropping and framing techniques employed in photography encouraged Impressionists to experiment with unconventional compositions, breaking away from traditional artistic norms).

So to flip this last part around, I channeled the inspiration of Impressionism one warm, August afternoon along the Canal Saint Martin to capture with a painterly quality the atmosphere rather than precise details. Enjoy!