En Plein Air: Impressionism in Nature

Frederic Bazille, Family Reunion on the Terrace, 1867, oil on canvas

Frederic Bazille started his career as a medical doctor, but eventually found his true calling as a painter. His en plein air paintings often had numerous figures in the forefront, as seen in Family Reunion on the Terrace; however, the background was often in the impressionist’s style. The light from the sun is peeking through the trees and can be seen on the bottom right on the terrace floor. In addition, the girl in the center in the white and blue dress seems to serve as a focal point. Her blue ribbon is complemented by the solid blue dress the older woman on the left is wearing. The contrasts of light are evident on these two women, and in the girl on the far right. While the woman in the dark blue dress is more in the shade, the two younger women are highlighted by the sun’s rays.

Mary Cassatt, Two Women Seated by a Woodland Stream, 1869, oil on canvas

Although Mary Cassatt was born in America, she spent most of her life living in France, where she was greatly influenced by Edgar Degas. Many of her paintings depict the personal lives of women. This en plein air painting shows two young women in intimate conversation in a shady wood. The darker colors of the painting indicate two possibilities: one, the time of day was late afternoon, or two, the area where they are sitting is well-shaded. The women’s blouses serve as a focal point in this painting, and the lines of two trees on either side of them act as a frame.

Edouard Manet, 1873, The Railway, oil on canvas

Edouard Manet was born in a privileged life in France and was thus able to pursue his art as a profession. He was known as an experimental artist and helped to establish the Impressionist movement. Although many of the en plein air paintings from other artist depict more nature oriented scenes, Manet’s The Railway is set within the city of Paris. In it, a little girl is looking at the train through the steam. Her white dress and the steam coming from the train’s engine serve as focal points and make the painting brighter. The woman in the dark blue dress, her face almost apathetic, provides no indication as to what her thoughts may be. It could either be ennui or sadness. Ultimately, this is up to the viewer to speculate.

Claude Monet, La Promenade, or The Stroll, 1875, oil on canvas

Claude Monet was born in Paris in 1840 and is perhaps the most famous of the Impressionist artists. Though Impressionism and en plein art are not synonyms for each other, many of Monet’s paintings were of natural settings. In La Promenade or The Stroll, the subjects are his wife and son. While there are clouds in the sky, the sun is peaking through, as indicated by the brightness at the top of the painting, and the necessity of the woman’s umbrella. The bright, light colors are juxtaposed by the darkness of the grass, which is highlighted by the sunlight.

Childe Hassam, In the Park, 1889, oil on canvas

Childe Hassam was an American Impressionist painter who painted nearly 3000 works of art in his lifetime. He preferred the city landscape as well as en plein air scenes as well. In the painting In the Park, he uses lines to frame the woman and the young schoolgirl. The sidewalk, trees and tree line all seem to box them and though they are off-center, make them the focus of the painting. The blue sky and the light dirt of the street further seem to frame them. While some say the locale of this painting is France because of the roof lines and carriages, because Hassam is an American artist, the setting could very well be in somewhere on the east coast. (Monet)

Camille Pissarro, Haymakers Resting, 1891, oil on canvas

Camille Pissarro was born in the Dutch West Indies but lived most of his life in France. Plagued by hardships, his eyesight was very weak toward the end of his life. Despite this, most of his best work was done later. Perhaps his deteriorating eye sight prompted him to pain more en plein air paintings than any others. The Haymakers Resting, painted 13 years before his death, depicts three peasant women resting. Judging by the light on their faces and on the field, they could very well be resting for lunch, as the sun appears to be high in the sky. The haystack provides some shading as is indicated by the contrasting shades on their dresses.

Elizabeth Nourse, Meditation, 1902, oil on canvas

Elizabeth Nourse was another American painter who found great success in France. She was a member of the Salon and was also elected into the Societe Nationale des Beaux Arts. Her paintings often depict rural, en plein air scenes that include women and children, as in the case of Meditation. The woman is focused on her child, and though she is looking at the baby, she is also lost in thought. Her skirts and the baby’s dress are almost geometric in shape. The space on the left and the top right appear to be triangular, providing structure for the two subjects. The time of day is questionable; however, for although the light is bright on the white dress and apron, the rest of the painting appears somewhat darker, supporting the theory that this could be mid to late afternoon.

Edward Henry Potthast, Brother and Sister, 1915, oil on canvas (Nourse)

Although Edward Henry Potthast was born and educated in Cincinnati, he lived and worked in New York. As an American Impressionist, Potthast spent much of his time painting en plein air paintings along the eastern seashore, including Rockport and Cape Cod. In Brother and Sister, the scene includes two young children, some of Potthast’s favorite subjects. Like several of the other paintings in this collection, the subject matter is centered by the artist’s use of lighter shades, as seen on the sister’s bathing suit, the brother’s shirt, and the mother’s apron (along with the baby’s dress). The lighter colors make the darker ones even more vivid. Though the color palette seems limited, the subtle contrasts of the colors make the painting seem especially vivid.

Frank W. Benson, Sunlight, oil on canvas, 1920

Frank W. Benson was an American painter from Boston who was educated in France. Although his earlier works were often portraits, it was his foray into impressionism that earned him his notoriety. A member of the group, The Ten, he and his fellow artists were known as American Impressionists. In Sunlight, Benson used his daughters and their friends as subjects of the panting. Dressed in white, the girls are basked in bright light. Although this is the painting in its entirety, the girl in the center who is standing is often seen on her own. Even though her hand shielding her eyes from the sun indicates that the sun is bright, it is the lightness of the painting that fully demonstrates the brightness of the day.

Philip Leslie Hale, Hollyhocks, 1922-23, oil on canvas

Phillip Leslie Hale was yet another American who was greatly influenced by the Paris art movements. He is best known for his en plein air impressionist paintings that portray women drenched in sunlight. Light is central to the effectiveness of Hollyhocks. The bright, white light colors and shades of green and violet indicate the brightness of the sun. The young girl’s hair is almost blue, further indication of the sunlight shining on her. The flowers also appear to be rather delicate as well in the bright light.

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Pissaro, C. Haymakers Resting . McNay Art Museum , San Antonio .

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