En Plein Air

Glossary

Meaning “in open air” in French, it is the style of creating a finished landscape painting outdoors. Before the practice became popular in the second half of the nineteenth century, it was common for artists to create sketches or studies of light and motifs in the outdoors and complete a painting in their studio. The introduction of portable easels and tin tubes of pre-prepared colours allowed artists more freedom to paint outdoors. The practice became commonplace during the Impressionist movement in France and was also pursued by the artists of the Newlyn School in England. Some notable artists associated with the style are Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissarro, Stanhope Forbes and Frank Bramley.

FILED UNDER

Modern & Contemporary Art

Chicago	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. “En Plein Air”. Accessed April 27, 2024. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/en-plein-air/
MLA	“En Plein Air.” MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/en-plein-air/. Accessed 27, April, 2024.
Harvard	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. (2022) En Plein Air. [Online]. Available at: https://mapacademy.io/glossary/en-plein-air/. (Accessed: 27, April, 2024)