It was a dappled and daubed harbor scene that gave Impressionism its name. When Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet was exhibited in April 1874, critics seized upon the works title and its loose stylistic rendering of light and motion upon water to deride this new, impressionistic tendency in art.

As with many seminal art movements, the critics got their comeuppance. Today, Impressionism is a close contender for the worlds favorite period of painting. With blockbuster exhibitions, record-breaking auction prices, and packed museums, the works once dismissed as unfinished or imprecise are now beloved for their atmospheric evocation of time and place, as well as the stylistic flair of rapid brushstrokes upon canvas.

Despite its popularity and a whole host of publications, many areas and artists of Impressionism remain inadequately researched. This TASCHEN book fills the gap, raising the profile of unjustly neglected pioneers such as Berthe Morisot, Lucien Pissarro, and Gustave Caillebotte, while exploring the characteristics of Impressionism, from painting en plein air to vivid color contrasts, not only in the movements native France but also across the rest of Europe and North America.

Part of the Taschen Bibliotheca Universalis seriesessential editions on art history and contemporary movements. Bound in durable hardcover, with more than 600 pages and weighing in at over 2 lb., each Bibliotheca Universalis book is a portable monument to art.