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Art MovementsIntroduction
Impressionism1860s–1880s
Post-Impressionism1880s–1905
Baroque1600s–1750s
Renaissance14th–17th century
Abstract Expressionism1940s–1960s

Art
Movements

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Modern

01

Impressionism

1860s–1880s  ·  Paris, France

A 19th-century movement that captured fleeting moments through loose brushwork and an emphasis on light and colour.

  • En plein air (outdoor) painting
  • Loose, visible brushwork
  • Emphasis on natural light and its changing qualities
  • Everyday modern subjects

01 / 05

Landscape & Nature

CM

Claude Monet

1840–1926

The central figure of Impressionism, Monet devoted his career to capturing the effects of light and atmosphere across his famous series paintings — haystacks, Rouen Cathedral, and the iconic Water Lilies.

Impression, Sunrise1872

CP

Camille Pissarro

1830–1903

The eldest of the Impressionists and the only one to exhibit in all eight Impressionist exhibitions. A mentor to both Cézanne and Gauguin.

Boulevard Montmartre at Night1897

Figures & Leisure

PR

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

1841–1919

Celebrated for his sensuous, light-filled depictions of people — particularly women and children — in settings of leisure and pleasure.

Luncheon of the Boating Party1880–1881

ED

Edgar Degas

1834–1917

Though aligned with the Impressionists, Degas preferred studio work and drew from classical influences. Famous for his ballet dancers, racehorses, and café scenes.

The Dance Class1874

Modern

02

Post-Impressionism

1880s–1905  ·  France

A broad term for artists who built on Impressionism but pushed toward structure, symbolism, and emotional expression.

  • Bold, expressive colour beyond naturalistic observation
  • Geometric simplification of form
  • Personal and symbolic content
  • Rejection of Impressionist "snapshot" approach

02 / 05

Structure & Form

PC

Paul Cézanne

1839–1906

Called the "father of modern art," Cézanne reduced landscapes, still lifes, and portraits to their geometric essentials — a foundation that directly inspired Cubism.

The Large Bathers1906

Colour & Expression

VvG

Vincent van Gogh

1853–1890

Dutch painter who transformed Impressionist colour into a vehicle for raw emotion and spiritual longing. His swirling, impastoed surfaces prefigure Expressionism.

The Starry Night1889

PG

Paul Gauguin

1848–1903

Abandoned his career as a stockbroker to pursue painting, eventually settling in Tahiti. Developed Synthetism — bold outlines, flat colour areas, and symbolic content.

Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?1897–1898

Baroque & Rococo

03

Baroque

1600s–1750s  ·  Rome, Italy

A dramatic style of grandeur, motion, and intense emotion that swept Europe following the Counter-Reformation.

  • Dramatic use of light and shadow (chiaroscuro)
  • Intense emotion and psychological depth
  • Dynamic, diagonal compositions
  • Rich, warm colour palettes

03 / 05

Italian Baroque

C

Caravaggio

1571–1610

The most revolutionary painter of the Baroque era. Caravaggio's tenebrist lighting — sharp beams against deep shadow — and gritty, street-level realism transformed European painting.

The Calling of Saint Matthew1599–1600

Dutch & Flemish Baroque

RvR

Rembrandt van Rijn

1606–1669

The supreme portraitist of the Dutch Golden Age. Rembrandt's luminous handling of paint and extraordinary insight into human psychology remain unmatched.

The Night Watch1642

JV

Johannes Vermeer

1632–1675

Celebrated for serene domestic interiors suffused with cool northern light. Vermeer's meticulous technique and mastery of light quality made him a legend rediscovered in the 19th century.

Girl with a Pearl Earringc. 1665

Renaissance

04

Renaissance

14th–17th century  ·  Florence, Italy

A rebirth of classical learning that transformed art through perspective, humanism, and scientific observation.

  • Linear perspective and mathematical space
  • Anatomical accuracy and naturalism
  • Humanist themes alongside religious subjects
  • Classical architectural settings

04 / 05

Early Renaissance

SB

Sandro Botticelli

1445–1510

Patronised by the Medici, Botticelli created mythological masterpieces of lyrical grace. His flowing line and rhythmic composition place him among the finest draughtsmen of the era.

The Birth of Venusc. 1484–1486

High Renaissance

LdV

Leonardo da Vinci

1452–1519

Painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor — da Vinci embodied the Renaissance ideal of the universal man. His sfumato technique revolutionised oil painting.

Mona Lisac. 1503–1519

M

Michelangelo

1475–1564

Sculptor and painter of superhuman ambition, Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling remains the greatest individual artistic achievement in Western history.

Sistine Chapel Ceiling1508–1512

R

Raphael

1483–1520

The youngest of the High Renaissance triumvirate, Raphael synthesised the achievements of Leonardo and Michelangelo into compositions of serenity and grace.

The School of Athens1509–1511

Modern

05

Abstract Expressionism

1940s–1960s  ·  New York, USA

New York's post-war avant-garde that made the act of painting itself the subject, through gestural marks and raw emotion.

  • Non-representational, non-objective imagery
  • Large-scale canvases meant to envelop the viewer
  • Emphasis on process and spontaneous gesture
  • Raw, unmediated emotional expression

05 / 05

Action Painting

JP

Jackson Pollock

1912–1956

Developed his signature "drip technique" by placing canvases on the floor and pouring or flicking paint across them. His work shifted focus from the image to the act of creation.

No. 311950

WdK

Willem de Kooning

1904–1997

Combined fierce gestural energy with the human figure — particularly the Female series — in works of violent, erotic ambiguity.

Woman I1950–1952

Colour Field

MR

Mark Rothko

1903–1970

Reduced painting to soft-edged rectangles of luminous colour, seeking a direct emotional and spiritual impact on the viewer. He described his work as tragedy, ecstasy, and doom.

No. 61 (Rust and Blue)1953

End of movements