“Origins of Impressionism” at the Met

Karen Wilkin | The New Criterion | 8th December 2025

Art history likes its categories. Reality is messy though, and painting movements emerge in fits and starts – as was the case with Impressionism. In the 1860’s Monet was closest to being an “impressionist”. Degas “flirted” with a classical style, Renoir was being “pretty”, Cezanne was “all over the place” and Courbet and Corot weren’t Impressionists at all. In 1868 Monet painted a modest work that highlighted reflections on a river. With hindsight, that may well have provided the “aha!” moment.