Why was monet inspired to create paintings in the impressionist style?
Your best bet is looking at the artists of the 19th century. Monet was at the end of those changes and so his novelty was his use of color and light. Not necessarily subject. I’d recommend taking a look at: Delacroix–stong use of color, less emphasis on drawing (which began to start a movement towards straight brushstrokes and not defined lines of drawing) JMW Turner–COLOR and LIGHT. (Many people believe that Monet got his visual ideas from Turner. Monet went to London during the Franco-Prussian war and many believe that while there, he studied Turner) Courbet and/or Manet–subject matter (Here is where artists stopped looking at historically themed paintings or painting the perfect human. Realism was about showing people as they are.) These artists are all before Monet. As an art historian, I always look at the artistic influences of the time. There’s always a cause and effect. Also at this time, the French Academie was pressuring artists to paint perfection. The Salon des Refusees
