Impressionism Definition
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Impressionism
noun
- 1a. In art, music or literature: a 19c style which aims to give a general impression of feelings and events rather than a formal or structural treatment of them: in art: a movement begun in France in the 1860s by artists who rejected the dark tones of 19c studio painting, set up their easels out-of-doors (see plein air) and used bright natural colours to build up an impression of the actual effects of light rather than a detailed firmly-outlined image;
1b. In art, music or literature: a 19c style which aims to give a general impression of feelings and events rather than a formal or structural treatment of them: in literature: the conveying of a subjective impression of the world rather than its objective appearance, as in the work of symbolist (see symbolism) poets and the stream-of-consciousness novel;
1c. In art, music or literature: a 19c style which aims to give a general impression of feelings and events rather than a formal or structural treatment of them: in music: a style of harmony and instrumentation which blurs the edges of tonality, aiming for veiled suggestion and understatement rather than a detailed picture.
