It can be argued that the process of painting on the spot could have been pioneered in Britain by John Constable around 1813–17 through his desire to paint nature in a realistic way.

Artists painted outdoors and on the spot, rather than in a studio from sketches or models. As they were outside, they looked at how light and colour changed the scenes. Impressionists realized that they could capture day to day life using the fleeting effects of sunlight by working quickly, in front of their subjects, out in the open. This resulted in a greater awareness of light, colour and the shifting pattern of a natural moving scene. Brushwork also became rapid and separated into quick dabs in order to paint the brief quality of light as quickly as possible. This rushed way of painting contradicted the smoothly blended somber colors of standard French painting and replaced by separate touches of vibrantly contrasting colors directly onto the canvas without prior mixing on the palette.

The first group exhibition was in Paris in 1874 and included work by Monet, Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas and Paul Cezanne. The work shown was greeted with disdain with Monet’s “Sunrise” particularly singled out for mockery and giving its name, then used by critics as an insult accusing the group of paintings as nothing but impressions . Seven further exhibitions were then held at different intervals until 1886.

Other core artists of impressionism were Camille Pissarro, Berthe Morisot and Auguste Renoir, with Edgar Degas and Edouard Manet also often associated with the movement.

Although originating in France, impressionism had great influence overseas. Core British impressionists included Walter Richard Sickert and Wilson Steer.