Who started Impressionism with Impression: Sunrise?

• A. Degas
• B. Monet
• C. Renoir
• D. Cezanne

Answer: (B)

Impressionism takes root in a shift to painting light, movement, and everyday moments rather than grand historical or mythological scenes. The painting that gave the movement its name is Claude Monet’s Impression, Sunrise. Created in 1872, it shows a foggy harbor at dawn with quick, loose brushstrokes and a focus on capturing the fleeting impression of the moment rather than meticulous detail. When Monet and fellow artists exhibited together in 1874, critics coined the term “Impressionists” from this very work, signaling a new approach that prioritized perception and the effects of light.

So, the artist most closely tied to starting this movement through that painting is Claude Monet. The others—Degas, Renoir, and Cezanne—were influential figures within the broader circle, but Monet is the one associated with both the famous painting and the naming of the movement. Degas and Renoir contributed richly to the style, yet their work often aligned with different subjects or tonal goals, and Cezanne later pushed beyond Impressionism toward new directions.