Impressionism vs Post-Impressionism: what is the difference?
Impressionism (c. 1860s – 1880s) and Post-Impressionism (c. 1885 – 1905) side by side.
Post-Impressionism grew directly out of Impressionism, and several painters, including Paul Cézanne and Paul Gauguin, showed work at the Impressionist exhibitions before going their own way. The difference lies in what the painters were trying to do.
In one line: the Impressionists tried to capture what the eye sees in a fleeting moment of light; the Post-Impressionists kept the bright colour but used it to give pictures structure, emotion or symbolic meaning.
Side by side
| Impressionism | Post-Impressionism | |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | c. 1860s–1880s | c. 1885–1905 |
| Where | Paris and its surroundings | Mainly France: Paris, Provence, Brittany; Gauguin also in Tahiti |
| Aim | Record the momentary effects of light and atmosphere | Go beyond appearances: structure, emotion, symbolism or colour theory |
| Brushwork | Short, broken strokes, painted quickly | Varied: Cézanne's constructive strokes, Van Gogh's thick swirls, Seurat's dots, Gauguin's flat areas |
| Colour | Bright, natural colour; coloured shadows | Bright colour used expressively or symbolically, often non-naturalistic |
| Subjects | Landscapes, cafés, boulevards, leisure | Landscapes, still lifes and portraits, but also dreams, myth and inner life |
| Was it a group? | Yes: eight group exhibitions, 1874–1886 | No: a label applied later by the critic Roger Fry in 1910 |
Impressionism: key characteristics
- Visible, broken brushstrokes
- Capturing fleeting effects of light, weather and atmosphere
- Painting outdoors (en plein air)
- Bright, unmixed colours; shadows painted with colour rather than black
- Modern subjects: cafés, boulevards, leisure, railways and landscapes
Key artists: Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, Mary Cassatt, Camille Pissarro. Read the full Impressionism guide →
Post-Impressionism: key characteristics
- Builds on Impressionist colour but rejects its focus on fleeting effects
- Strong structure and geometric form (Cézanne)
- Expressive, emotional colour and brushwork (Van Gogh)
- Flat areas of colour and symbolic meaning (Gauguin)
- Scientific colour theory and dots of pure colour (Seurat)
Key artists: Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Read the full Post-Impressionism guide →
Frequently asked questions
Is Van Gogh Impressionist or Post-Impressionist?
Van Gogh is a Post-Impressionist. He adopted the brighter palette of the Impressionists in Paris in 1886–88 but used thick, rhythmic brushwork and intense colour to express emotion.
Who coined the term Post-Impressionism?
The English critic Roger Fry, for the exhibition "Manet and the Post-Impressionists" at the Grafton Galleries in London in 1910.