Impressionism and Renoir

Impression Sunrise, Claude Monet

http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/impressionism.htm

ArtFactory.com has a great section dedicated to the Impressionist period. This would be a useful resource for my students as an introductory website. It gives a broad overview of the Impressionist period, highlights the major artists, explains the Impressionist painting technique, describes some of the major influences of the movement and offers what followed Impressionism.

I think this site could be a great instructional device as well, because it helps clearly outline Impressionism. By combining the major components of the movement and breaking it down into sub-sections, it helps to set up a lesson plan. This web page offers an introduction, which can be further researched, regarding who was involved, the time period, where Impressionism originated, etc. Next, by exploring the major artists, it gives a brief biography of some well known names from the period. What I see as being especially useful, are the links to each person, where a more in-depth biography can be read. This allows students to briefly get an overview of what should be focused on throughout the lesson. Then, once they dive further into their research, they have an immediate link to focal points, where they can easily discover more information.  Additionally, by splitting up the text with a few well known paintings from the era, it gives students the opportunity to recognize art work they have possibly seen before, and begin to draw connections. It also helps make the material more stimulating then simply a webpage full of text. Finally, by reading about some of the influences on Impressionism, students can grasp more about the time period in general, outside of just the art aspect. This information goes into explain how the art work fits in with world history. This can help make the information more relevant and interesting to students who may not necessarily be as curious about art history. Students may recognize bits of information they have learned in other classes and see how it is illustrated through art by some of the most famous painters of the time.

http://www.all-art.org/history480-4.html

One of the most noted artists of the Impressionist movement is Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Renoir's biography and paintings offer great insight into the movement and his paintings are often very recognizable. The reason I found this website to be useful was because of the highlight piece available on Renoir. Additionally, there are several of Renoir's paintings on the initial site along with a link to a gallery of his work. 

La Balangoire, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1876

I believe Renoir is a good artist to focus on because his paintings embody some of the main themes of the Impressionists. One of the most widely used terms to describe the Impressionist paintings is the French expression "en plein air," because of the popularity of painting outdoors. Impressionists often focused on lighting and leisurely activities. On this specific page, a fairly in-depth description of Renoir's biography and association with Impressionism is explained, which helps to offer an idea of how he became a major figure in the movement. This site also explains his background and how it molded him into a major figure of the movement. By explaining more than just Renoir's paintings, including composition, colors and subject matter, we can explore this site to discover what in his life impacted and inspired him. Again, I believe learning more about Renoir's life helps draw a connection to his paintings and how they represent the time period.

 

http://www.artble.com/artists/pierre-auguste_renoir

I have added this site as well, because I believe it offers succinct and useful information about Pierre-August Renoir. What I have found most useful about this site are the links it includes to some of Renoir's most famous works of art. Each link takes you to a new page which goes in-depth about the specific piece and analyzes the subject matter. I think this could be a good tool for students because while I doubt they would have interest in exploring every work of art, they may find a couple pieces they have an interest in. This would give students the opportunity to click on the painting they have a connection to and learn more. By discovering certain aspects about specific pieces, I believe a student can gain a better understanding about the movement, artist, and time period in general. For instance, here is a link that is on this site that takes a reader to specifics about Renoir's "Dance at le Moulin de la Galette." If a student specifically liked something about this painting, they may feel inclined to learn what is happening, why certain colors are used or where the painting takes place. This link gives the student an opportunity to read more about this painting, however, the analysis is still relatively concise and to the point. 

(Dance at le Moulin de la Galette, Pierre-Auguste Renoir)