Who painted 'Impression, Sunrise'?

Who painted “Impression, Sunrise”? Claude Monet painted it. The oil-on-canvas work was made in 1872 and depicts the port of Le Havre, Monet’s hometown in northwestern France.

Monet exhibited the painting in Paris in April 1874 at the first independent exhibition organized by the artists who would become associated with Impressionism. Its hazy harbor, loose brushwork, and emphasis on fleeting light challenged the polished historical scenes favored by the official Salon.

The title also gave the movement its name. Critic Louis Leroy used “Impression” sarcastically in a review, but the label soon became permanent. The painting is often confused with Monet’s Water Lilies, Haystacks, or Rouen Cathedral series; those are also Monet works, but they are not the painting that inspired the movement’s name.

Impression, Sunrise normally belongs to the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris. It was stolen in 1985 and recovered in 1990, adding a dramatic chapter to its history.