Impressionism
A short History
  During the early nineteenth
century freedom of expression was almost foreign to the art world. The now famous l863
Parisian Salon des Refuses proved to be a landmark in the history of Modern art. Napoleon
III set up the Salon des Refuses to appease those painters (Monet, Manet, Pissarro,
Whistler,Jongkind and others) who were insulted by the rejection of their works by the
official Salon. Artists who had gone against established and acceptable painting
techniques were given, for the first time, the right to a public viewing and this
exhibition marked the beginning of an artistic independence. 1
Dusseldorf, Munich and Paris were the three leading art meccas of the nineteenth century.
Although Eugene Delacroix (1799-1863) had taken an independent stand against the value of
technical painting as the Academicians taught it, it was Claude Monet (1840-1926) who
revolutionized art by organizing an independent group of artists who would exhibit their
recalcitrant canvases in an 1874 show which would shock critics and public alike. The show
opened April 15, 1874, and when Louis Leroy characterized the entire exhibit as an
"Exhibition of Impressionists", a title meant in jest and cued from Monet's
painting Impression Sunrise (l872). the names "Impressionist" and
"Impressionism" were born. 2
Under the banner of "Impressionism" painters launched an innovative concept of
naturalism, showing new impressions
of the visible world rather than the imitation of exact appearances. They perceived light
as color sensations and were concerned with the effects of a fluid play of light. Color
sensations were perceived as constantly changing, and forms as light reflected from a
surface, while shadows were shown to be lights of a a lower intensity. Light, not subject
matter, became the most important aspect of their painting and this was foreign to the the
Salon painters' ideology. Variations of hue and intensity of light were stressed. The
Impressionists were not dramatically concerned with line. They applied their paint to the
canvas in small daubs and dashes of paint in order to heighten the effect of vibrations
and changes of light effects. 3
 French
impressionism influenced artists throughout the world,including Americans J. M. Whistler,
Mary Cassatt, John Singer Sargent, Willard Metcalf, John Twactman, Child Hassam and
Englishman Walter Sickert, Italian Giovanni Segantini, and Spaniard Joaquín Sorolla and
Richard Earl Thompson. Impressionism also affected the development of painting. Painters
who began as impressionists created other techniques that started new movements in art,
including pointillism, post-impressionism, cubism, expressionism to modernism.
In 1986, the deservedly
popular Impressionist exhibition title, "The New Painting: Impressionism,
1874-1886" stimulated curiosity about artists who have continued this art form.
Richard Earl Thompson (1914-1991) was one of these artists. A dedicated Impressionist, he devoted a
lifetime of effort to capturing the quality of nature's light on canvas for all to see and
enjoy. Challenged by questions and statements such as, "Impressionism today? Who
needs it? It's been done," dedicated painters such as Richard Earl Thompson could and
did answer, "We all do."
Always a favorite
with the public, "fresh-air" painting with its loose brushwork, pleasing images,
and particularly, the sparkling light quality which is inherent in the best of the past
works, is equally pleasurable when found in the best of contemporary work. Richard Earl
Thompson strengthened and modified through personal expression these tenets of
Impressionism. Using pigment available today which the early Impressionists lacked, he
achieved even greater variations of light and color - exuberant color - which in the hands
of this gifted artist inspired masterful works.
 The current
resurgence of interest in Impressionism, following years of erroneously being referred to
all too frequently as just another "pretty picture," is welcome. This fine art,
when painted with consummate skill, marked by dedication to color and form is once again
receiving recognition. Requiring no text to explain the art and being free from politics,
Richard Earl Thompson's canvases reveal the beauty and truth or our world as seen through
the eyes of an accomplished 20th century painter. History has been recorded in an
individualistic manner for future generations.
A multiplicity of art forms make up
our heritage; no one form invalidates another, but the components of skillful
compositions, fine  draftsmanship, a sure knowledge of and inspired
use of color, showing clearly the painstaking training in the fundamentals marks the work
of Richard Earl Thompson. A serious and competent painter, his large body of work
illustrates the technical growth and development of his own style. in the Impressionistic
manner.
Growth in the field of
Impressionism did not end with the eighth Impressionist group show, and with the widely
disseminated knowledge available to the general public today, quality is readily apparent
which explains why there has always been an enthusiastic audience for the work of Richard
Earl Thompson. His ability to capture the color of things as the sun changes and
"recreates" them makes his powerful and pleasing canvases a life affirming
refreshment to the senses and a continuation of the work begun by those innovative and
courageous 19th century painters revered by the world today.
Footnotes 1,2,3 ©Copyright l982 Richard Thompson Gallery as
published in the book written by Patricia Jobe Pierce titled "Richard Earl Thompson,
American Impressionist A Prophetic Odyssey in Paint". Chapter I "American
Impressionism-A Brief History". All rights reserved.
©Copyright Richard Thompson Gallery, 1986. All rights reserved
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