Introduction

• How did the Impressionists get their name?
• Why was their fight for recognition so difficult?

This webquest will help you explore these questions and much more, as you weave through a 'gallery' of websites, gathering information about the Impressionist period and its many famous artists.

The Quest

Choose one of the Impressionist artists below and create a PowerPoint presentation that tells about this artist's life and paintings. Then, create an original painting that imitates the style and subject of your artist's artwork.

Monet
Renoir
Degas
Cassatt
Cezanne
Gaughin
Seurat
Morisot
Caillebotte
van Gogh
Manet

The Process and Resources

First, you will have an introduction to the Impressionist period through a tour of the Seattle Art Museum.

Second,you will have four class periods in the computer lab to complete a PowerPoint presentation on an artist of your choice. You will explore the websites provided to gain information about your Impressionist artist.

Next, if time, you will become the artist, and create an original painting in the style of your artist or an original 'copy' of one of your artist's famous paintings.

Phase 1 - Background: Something for Everyone

Use the Internet information linked below to answer the basic questions of who? what? where? when? why? and how? Be creative in exploring the information so that you answer these questions as fully and insightfully as you can.

Phase 2 - Looking Deeper from Different Perspectives

Using the Seattle Museum Art Tour website, you will take an introductory tour through the Impressionist period, finding out why these artists had to struggle to be recognized.

You will be introduced to some famous artists and their paintings.

You will understand some of the other influences, like the Industrial revolution and the invention of the camera, and how this affected impressionist painters.

Take the Seattle Art Museum Tour

Answer these questions related to Take the Seattle Art Museum Tour:

1. Why did painters, like Monet, Renoir, Morisot and Degas create their own exhibition?
2. Despite their different style and subject matters, what did all of the Impressionist artists have in common?
3. How did the Industrial Revolution bring change to the art of the Impressionists?
4. Why did some of the paintings have a cut-off figure? Was this a mistake?
5. Did cameras have a negative effect on the Impressionists painters? Why or why not?

• Seattle Art Museum - Click on Seattle Art Museum Tour. Scroll down to: Impressionism.

Create a PowerPoint presentation on an Impressionist artist

Use the Internet sites below to create a PowerPoint presentation on one of these Impressionist artists:

Choose one of the following
Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cassatt, Cezanne, Gaughin, Serat, Morisot, Caillebotte, van gogh, Manet

It must include the following;

Slide 1 - Who is your favorite Impressionist artist? Why?
Slide 2 - Write a 3-4 paragraph essay (minimum) about the life of your artist.
Slide 3 - Describe the artist's style/technique and the most typical subjects of his/her work.
Slide 4 - Describe one of his/her paintings. Why did you choose it? Include an image of it.

• Impressionism and Post-Impressionism - Hold cursor over the painting image to view the name of the artist. It has information about Manet, Monet, Renoir, Caillebotte, Degas, Cassatt, Seurat, Van Gogh, Gaughin, Cezanne.
• The Art Institute of Chicago Collections - Click on the second box in the second row for Monet. Click third row, first box for Renoir. Click third row, second box for Caillebotte. Click on 3rd box for Degas. Click on 4th box for Seurat. Click on 5th box for van Gogh. Click on 7th box for Gaughin. Click on 8th box for Cezanne. Click on 10th box for Cassat.
• The Masters - ~ Click on Impressionism. These artists are listed: Caillebotte, Cassatt, Cezanne, Degas, Gaughin, Manet, Monet, Renoir, van Gogh
• All About Artists - Click on biographies for more information about the following artists: Degas, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Seurat, van Gogh
• The Artchive - For biographies on the Impressionists, visit The Artchive ~ On the left, there is a list of artists:
• WebMuseum - For more biographies and famous artwork: ~ Scroll through the Artist Index and click on the name(s) you are interested in.
• First Impressionist Exhibit
• Giverny (Monet’s Gardens)
• Mary Cassatt at the Met
• Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
• Artist Indexes - Good site with short biographies and excellent artworks.
• ArtCyclopedia - Includes a list of Impressionist painters and some paintings.

Create an original reproduction of a painting

Create an original piece of artwork in the style and subject of your artists. Or, create an original reproduction of a famous painting by your artist. Try to imitate his/her style, brush strokes, colors, and subject matter.

Phase 3 - Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus

You have all learned about a different Impressionist artist. After you have all presented your research on your artist, we will try to debate these questions?

Who was the most important artist of this period? Why?

Who was the best artist? Why?

Phase 4 - Real World Feedback

You have learned a lot about Impressionist art. Now's the time to put your learning into a letter you'll send out for real world feedback. You will write a letter that tries to convince your teacher to take you on a field trip to the Clark's Institute in Massachuscetts to see their Impressionist period exhibit. It should state your reasons why this would be a valuable trip, what you would hope to learn, and what you have already gained from your study of this artwork and perspectives that you've gained.

Here's the process:

1. Begin your letter with a statement of who you are and why you are writing this letter.

2. Give background information that shows some of your understandings about this the topic.

3. State how this trip would valuable to you as a learner.

4. Have another student proofread your letter. Use correct letter format and make sure you have correctly addressed the email message. Use the link below to send your letter.

Your Contact is: Ms.Verga

Conclusion

The struggle to be recognized and valued was a difficult one for the Impressionist artists. People found it difficult to accept this new, 'revolutionary' artwork. Yet today, these same paintings are loved and draw people from all over the world. It is hard to believe that only a hundred years ago, this group of painters shocked the world. Luckily they persisted!