Impression, Sunrise is one of the most famous paintings by the French Impressionist artist Claude Monet. Completed in 1872, it depicts the harbor of Le Havre, France at sunrise. The painting shows a beautiful contrast between orange and blue-violet colors against a misty morning harbor scene.
The work was first exhibited at an exhibition in Paris in April 1874 alongside other Impressionist artists. Despite initial mixed responses from critics and viewers, the painting became one of the most important works of Impressionism and helped inspire the movement’s name.
Monet completed “Impression, Sunrise” in just a few hours while overlooking the port of Le Havre from his hotel room. His artistic style emphasized capturing his perception of nature through light and color rather than creating a photographic-like representation.
Monet’s influence on art is apparent throughout history as he is regarded as being one of the founding fathers of impressionism, which paved way for modern art movements such as Fauvism and Expressionism.
