What study does the impressionist movement focus on as a scientific concept?

The Impressionist movement is fundamentally rooted in the study of optics, which pertains to how light is perceived and how it affects color. Impressionist artists, such as Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, sought to capture the effects of light on their subjects, using loose brushwork and vibrant colors to convey a sense of immediacy and movement. They often painted en plein air, or outdoors, to observe the changing qualities of light and the resulting shifts in the appearance of colors.

This focus on optics allowed Impressionists to explore how colors could change based on light conditions and how shadows and reflections would alter the perception of form and color. As a result, their works often feature broken color and a play of light that creates a shimmering, lively effect. The scientific understanding of light and color significantly influenced the techniques and aesthetics employed by these artists, making optics a central concept in their work.