The document explores the lives and influences of three prominent Impressionist artists: Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Berthe Morisot. It details their biographies, significant works, and personal reflections on their artistry, emphasizing how their experiences shaped their unique styles. The author reflects on their own experiences in art, noting how these artists' journeys resonate with their own struggles and discoveries in pursuing creativity.

1. +
Impressionist Artists
By: Stacy Pearson

2. +  Vincent van Gogh
Menu  Biography
 Artwork
 Reflection
 Claude Monet
 Biography
 Artwork
 Reflection
 Berthe Morisot
 Biography
 Artwork
 Reflection
 Conclusion

3. + Vincent van Gogh: Biography
Vincent van Gogh was born March 30, 1853 in The Next Slide:
Netherlands. He was a Dutch Post-Impressionist with Biography
great influence in 20th century art. His first experience Continued
with art was as an art dealer for his uncle’s gallery.
Vincent’s obsession with evangelical Christianity made
him want to become a clergyman like his father, so he
tried to enroll in a theology school but was denied. He
then preached and lived in Belgium for a year but his
appointment was terminated after a year.
Finally, Vincent decided to become an artist. He
returned to Hague to take painting classes and in no
time at all developed his own style. Van Gogh's
fascination with the poor and working class were the
subject of his early works. After his father’s death he
moved to Belgium and was able to find
models, supplies, and ideas for his work. He later
moved in with his brother in Montmartre, France, where
he discovered the works of Monet and other French
Impressionists. In Paris, his style developed even more
and he began to experiment with pointillism.
(Continued on next slide…)

4. +
Van Gogh Biography continued…
Vincent became ill with a type of epilepsy that turned into a series of psychotic
attacks. Shortly after, he was institutionalized after having cut off part of his
left ear. While in the institution, van Gogh continued painting and produced
one of his most famous works, Starry Night. Vincent never fully
recovered, and even tried to commit suicide by swallowing paint. After feeling
like a failure, van Gogh shot himself in the chest and died on July 29, 1890 at
the age of 37.
"As a suffering creature, I cannot do without something
greater than I -- something that is my life -- the power to
create." Vincent Van Gogh

5. +
Vincent van Gogh: Famous Artwork
The Potato
Eaters, 1885
Sunflowers, 1888
The Church at
Auvers, 1890
Starry Night, 1889

6. +
Vincent van Gogh: Reflection
This summer I am working as a camp counselor for an art camp.
The campers spend three hours every morning working on
artwork and learning about a new artist every day. The first two
artists I chose, van Gogh and Monet, are two artists that we
studied in camp. These also happen to be two of the most
famous artists ever. What I love about van Gogh, which I didn’t
know until researching for this project, was that he didn’t know
he wanted to be an artist at a young age. He tried at a few
different professions before giving art a try and I find I can
relate to this. I had a hard time deciding what to study at
Indiana University and it made me happy to know that one of Monet
the most famous artists didn’t start his profession until later in
life. It goes to show that it is important to dabble in different
areas before deciding what to do.

7. + Claude Monet: Biography
Claude Monet was born on November 14, 1840, in Paris.
He was a founder of French impressionist painting. The Next Slide:
term impressionism is derived from the title of his Biography
painting, Impression, Sunrise (pictured right). Monet spent Continued
most of his youth in Le Havre, drawing caricatures of the
locals and acting as a rebel at school. Monet continued
drawing caricatures, and selling them at the age of
fifteen, and wasn't really interested in painting until he met
his future mentor EugèneBoudin. Boudin encouraged the
young Monet to go outside and paint nature scenes.
Claude went on to study at the prestigious École des
Beaux-Arts, but like many famous artists rejected the rules
and left the school. After serving some time in the
army, Monet joined the studio of Swiss painter Charles
Gleyre in Paris, where he meet with other artists, giving
birth to the impressionist movement. Inspired by
EdouardManet, Monet worked on large canvases, and by
then, he had become such a perfectionist that he refused
to paint unless the light of the sun reflected exactly the way
he wanted it. (Continued on next slide…)

8. +
Monet Biography continued…
Although Monet mostly painted nature scenes, he sometimes included
human figures in his paintings. One day, he had his friend Bazille, and a
lady named Camille Doncieux pose for a painting of a Picnic (Le
Déjeunersurl'Herbe). Little did he know she would one day becomehis wife
and the subject of many of his works. Claude went through a serious of
troubling times, and even tried committing suicide once. Shortly after they
got married, Claude and Camille were forced to move to London, England
to escape the rigors of the Franco-Prussian war of 1870. During this
time, Monet painted several canvasses, and had several successful
showings. In 1874, Monet organized the very first Impressionism Show
where over thirty artists had a showing at Nadar’sStudio. At first, the critics
weren't too kind towards the artists' work, which went against the status
quo of the art world, However, more shows, andpublic success soon
brought the critics to a favorable verdict. After the death of his wife, Monet
moved to Giverny and took up gardening; his famous paintings of
waterliliesare a good example of the relationship that existedbetween
Monet and nature.

9. +
Claude Monet: Famous Artwork
Wild Poppies, 1873
Woman With
Parasol, 1886
Rue
Montorgueil, 1878
Water
Lilies, 1920-
1926

10. +
Claude Monet: Reflection
Claude Monet is the other really famous impressionist artist and
one of the artists covered at my art camp. The reason I chose
to cover Monet is because of his paintings that I saw when I
visited Paris in the spring of 2008. Walking into the Musée de
l'Orangerie and the room covered in his Water Lily paintings
practically from floor to ceiling is almost indescribable. The
thought of how much time and effort it took to make those
paintings is what really makes it impressive. There is so much
detail and perfection on the canvases. After a long day of sigh
seeing, it was a perfect ending to my first day in Paris and will
forever have an impression on me. I had always heard about
Monet in school but didn’t really get a good idea of who he was
as a painter. However, now every time I hear his name, like I
did in art camp this year, I will always think about his Water Lily
paintings which inspired me to pursue my interest in taking Morisot
pictures of nature as a hobby.

11. + Berthe Morisot: Biography
Berthe Morisot was born January 14, 1841, in Next Slide:
Bourges, France. She was a painter and member of a Biography
circle of painters in Paris known now as the impressionist Continued
painters. She was undervalued for over a century, most
likely because she was a woman. She was born into a
family that had included one of the most prolific Rococo
painters of the ancient regime, Fragonard. By age
twenty, she befriended the pivotal landscape painter of the
Barbizon School, Camille Corot. Under Corot’s
influence, Morisot began painting in the plein air method of
working, which means working outdoors. Morisot's first
appearance in the Salon de Paris came when she was
twenty-three in 1864, with the acceptance of two of her
landscape paintings. Morisot is another artist to become
acquainted with EdouardManet. Although Manethas been
said to be the master and Morisotthe follower, there is
evidence that their relationship was a reciprocating one.
Records of paintings show Manet's approval and
appreciation of certain stylistic and compositional decisions
that Morisot originated. (Continued on next slide…)

12. +
Morisot Biography continued…
It was Morisot who drew Manet into the circle of painters who soon
became known as the Impressionists. As a doctrinaire Impressionist,
As well as a member of the haute bourgeoisie, Morisot painted what she
experienced on a daily basis. Her paintings reflect the 19th century cultural
restrictions of her class and gender. She avoided urban and street scenes
as well as the nude figure andfocused on domestic life and portraits in which
she could use family and personal friends as models. Her works include not
only landscapes, portraits, garden settings and boating scenes, but also
subjects portraying the comfort and intimacy of family and domestic life.
Morisot and American artist Mary Cassatt are generally considered the most
important women painters of the later 19th century. Morisot died in Paris on
March 2, 1895.

13. +
Berthe Morisot: Famous Artwork
Grain field
The Cradle, 1872
Young Girl with a Parrot,
1873
Woman at her Toilette, 1875

14. +
Berthe Morisot: Reflection
The reason I chose Morisot as my final impressionist artist is
because she is a woman. I was surprised to see her picture
turn up when I clicked on her name, expecting it to be another
man. When studying artists during this time period, not many
women are covered. In fact, before doing this research, I
hadn’t ever heard of Morisot. However, after looking at her
paintings, I remember seeing a few of them in the museums in
Paris. I just never made the connection of her name to the
paintings. I feel like a lot of the artists studied in school are
men so I was really excited to find Morisot in the list of
impressionists. Not only is her work revered today, but she
was also able to make an impression and influence
EdouardManet, who was the mentor of many famous artists.
I’m glad I was able to learn Berthe Morisot’s name so I was
able to add to my knowledge of the impressionist artists.

15. +
Conclusion
The reason I chose to present on these three impressionist artists
is because I was inspired when I took my trip to Paris in the
spring of 2008. I’m not normally a museum type of girl, but
when I was able to see all of the paintings in the museums of
France, I was blown away. I had seen many of the famous
paintings in books before but nothing compared to seeing them
in real life. It really gave me a new appreciate for art that I
wasn’t able to receive from school. I hope that everybody gets
a chance to see these paintings in person, but if not it is still
fascinating learning about these artists and what inspired their
work. These three artists have given me a new appreciation for
art.