Discuss the technological improvements, cultural developments, and aesthetic innovations that led to Impressionism and explain how the movement got its name, mentioning specific artists and/or works to support your statements

What will be an ideal response?

Responses will vary depending on selection of artwork. The painting by Claude Monet, Impressionism: Sunrise, caught the attention of an art critic who used the title to explain what the artists had in common. He titled his review "The Impressionists" and the name stuck. With Impressionism, art moved outdoors due to the new availability of oil paints in tubes. Artists were able to paint outside and experience the shifting light they wanted to depict. The "look" of their paintings became more of a recording of optical sensations, as little dabs, slashes, and flicks of paint were employed to represent subject matter. Black was banished and replaced with blues and greens. Landscapes, a favorite of Monet, were popular subject matter and were meant to represent momentary action and capture the fleeting light. Renoir and Morisot found inspiration in depicting the everyday lives of people.