Impression Sunrise
Claude Monet, 1872, Le Havre
Among the most celebrated images of impressionism, Claude Monet’s Impression Sunrise named the movement itself.
Painted in 1872 by Claude Monet, Impression Sunrise depicts the harbor in Le Havre. It was first on display in 1874 at the first independent showing of what was later to become known as impressionism. The movement got its name during this show when critic Louis Leroy, inspired by the name “Impression Sunrise”, declared the show “The Exhibition of the Impressionists”. It was not initially meant as a compliment, though the artist there took to the name and kept it. Monet later explained the title himself:
“Landscape is nothing but an impression, and an instantaneous one, hence this label that was given us, by the way because of me. I had sent a thing done in Le Havre, from my window, sun in the mist and a few masts of boats sticking up in the foreground….They asked me for a title for the catalogue, it couldn’t really be taken for a view of Le Havre, and I said: ‘Put Impression’“
Impression Sunrise Conposition
Impression Sunrise shows the sun, set against the dawn, in the harbor of Le Havre. In the background, some of the ships anchor; their silhouette disappears in the mist, though. In the foreground three small boats appear dimly. The water reflects the light of the rising sun. The painting features the orange color of the sky, set against the generally grey mood and with the vibrant force of the sun shining through in a motionless moment.
To many a spectator the sun seems alive, it seems to pulsate slightly or change in color as you observe the painting. This impressive effect comes from the fact that the sun and the clouds around it share the same brightness, when measured with e.g. a photometer. In fact, in a black and white copy of Impression Sunrise, you thus see the sun disappear almost completely from view. This lack of contrast is what helps bring the painting to life.
This effect also fuels our viewing pleasure on the subconscious level, thus bringing the painting to life. As noted by Dr. Margaret Livingstone, a professor of neurobiology at Harvard University,
“The sun is perceived differently is different parts of our mind. To the more primitive subdivisions of our brain, the sun is nearly invisible. But to the primate subdivision, the sun appears normal. Thus, there is an inconsistency between our perception of the sun in the primitive and primate portions of our brain. The sun is poorly defined and ambiguous to the portion of our brain that carries information about position and movement, thus helping to create the interesting effect“
A Masterpiece
Had Monet instead painted the sun brighter than the surrounding clouds (as indeed it is), the painting would be less interesting. At the same time, the primitive part of our brain would see it better. It is the inconsistency in perception between the different parts of our brain that helps make this painting so appealing and alive.
Today, Impression Sunrise remains one of the most famous images of impressionism and a study in the use of light in painting. It has inspired generations of painters since 1872, and today still maintains it position as one of the undisputed masterpieces of impressionism.
The painting also includes many of the elements that became the stable of impressionism including relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on the accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage of time) and ordinary subject matter.
Impression Sunrise also created some drama of a less artistic nature. It was stolen from the Musée Marmottan in Paris in 1985 by Philippe Jamin and Youssef Khimoun. The painting was later recovered in 1990. Since 1991 it has once again been on display in the Musée Marmottan.
Other Featured Works by Monet
Japanese Bridge and Waterlilies
Claude Monet, 1889
Water Lilies (Nympheas)
Claude Monet, 1905
Woman with a Parasol
Claude Monet, 1875