Their short, hurried brushstrokes made their paintings practically illegible. Impressionism broke every rule of the French Academy of Fine Arts, the conservative school that had dominated art training and taste since 1648. Impressionist scenes of modern urban and country life were a far cry from the Academic efforts to teach moral lessons through historic, and mythological themes. This tradition, drawn from ancient Greek and Roman art, featured idealized images. Symmetrical compositions, hard outlines, and smooth pain surfaces characterized academic paintings. Despite the Academy's power, seeds of artistic and political unrest had been sown long before 1874. The mid-19th century was a time of political instability in France.

During the Revolution of 1848, Parisian workers with socialist goals overthrew the monarchy, only to see conservatives seize the reins of government later that year. Fear of further uprisings created widespread distrust among the aristocracy, the poor, and the newly prosperous bourgeoisie or middle class. Meanwhile, the far-reaching Industrial Revolution fostered a new faith in the individual and his unlimited potential. Romantic painters began to celebrate individuality in terms of painting technique with warm colors and vigorous brushstrokes. The Impressionists brought together a variety of influences, beliefs, and styles when they first exhibited in Paris. Their rejection of the Academy and the Academy’s rejection of them united the group.

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