In the mid-nineteenth century, an original artistic style was born that would help define the art of that era. This was known as Impressionism, a style in which artists made small strokes of color on canvases and used quick brushstrokes. They took into consideration how the sunlight affected what was in the scene to beautifully express a fleeting moment in time. Instead of focusing on the details of the image, the art of this style has imprecise lines, creating a candid and realistic look into an environment, making the viewer feel as if they are actually looking at a snapshot of the scene. The Impressionist period was heavily inspired by the Romantic and Realist styles of the previous era, the emergence of photography, and Japanese prints. Romanticism used emotion to show exciting topics, and realism accurately presented topics from everyday life. Impressionism took the ideas of these two styles and pushed the passionate and realistic approaches of both to create their works. On top of this, at the time, photography was a new and exciting way to capture a moment. It allowed people to express themselves realistically in photographs with lights and angles that were not typical of the art of the past. Furthermore, Japanese landscape prints showed fragments of places truthfully. Both of these types of art encouraged the Impressionists to use their ideas and create art that made viewers feel as if they were looking at a photograph of people. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Some of the most memorable artists and artworks of all time came out of the Impressionist period. Claude Monet painted the same subject several times in different illuminations, such as cathedrals, haystacks, gardens and ponds. These works beautifully show the way natural light can influence objects and the atmosphere of a scene. Auguste Rodin was another artist who worked in this style; however, he did so in sculptures. He expressed the emotions of the subjects he was sculpting by roughening the surfaces by incorporating scraps of clay and wax into his works. Another important artist of the period was Pierre Auguste Renoir, a painter who applied Impressionist lenses and techniques to show jubilant scenes of people surrounded by natural sunlight. Almost every artistic period influences the future era, as well as generations to come. Impressionism is no exception in this sense. The idea of ​​trying to capture in a work of art what someone would look at at a single moment in time was a new concept in Europe at the time. It was scorned when it first emerged, but soon changed the way people viewed, appreciated, and created art for years to come. It led directly to the art of the Post-Impressionist period, which then led to periods such as Expressionism and Cubism. Subsequently, this influenced modern artistic styles, such as pop art and photorealism, which have become popular in recent years. Impressionism has a lasting impact on art and continues to encourage artists today. The Impressionist period may have commanded no critical respect when it first emerged. However, he ended up giving the world some of the most iconic works of art of the nineteenth century – timeless works of art that still excite and inspire people today. From it were born great painters such as Monet, Degas and Cassatt, and magnificent paintings such as "The Water Lily Pond", "The Glass of Absinthe" and "The Boat Party". It highlighted the beauty of a moment..