Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement which advocated spontaneous painting, usually practised outdoors, to capture the artists’ impression of light and the passage of time.
Impressionists demonstrate a distinct awareness of light and colour and their work is often characterised by harmonious, improvised brushstrokes. Into Dust by Paul Bennett, for example, incorporates dynamic and spontaneous brushstrokes as well as unrefined palette knife marks, giving the portrait a sensual tactility.
