Page "Impressionism" Paragraph 43

Prior to the Impressionists, other painters, notably such 17th-century Dutch painters as Jan Steen, had emphasized common subjects, but their methods of composition were traditional.

They arranged their compositions so that the main subject commanded the viewer's attention.

The Impressionists relaxed the boundary between subject and background so that the effect of an Impressionist painting often resembles a snapshot, a part of a larger reality captured as if by chance.

Photography was gaining popularity, and as cameras became more portable, photographs became more candid.

Photography inspired Impressionists to represent momentary action, not only in the fleeting lights of a landscape, but in the day-to-day lives of people.