Color and mood in impressionist and post-impressionist paintings

Paintings

Monet's 1868 "The River" depicts a woman relaxing and enjoying a sunny afternoon on the river's banks. Monet's palate is earthy and soft, almost pastel. The color scheme reflects the peaceful tone of the painting. Not only are the colors relaxing on the eye, they are also highly conducive to the delivery of light that characterizes impressionist painting.

Also a landscape scene painted in France, Derain's 1906 "The Turning Road" has a far different feel than Monet's "The River." Like Monet, Derain relies on earthy tones to emphasize nature. However, Derain's palate is more saturated. The hues allow the painting to approach expressionism, especially the predominance of red-orange on the canvas. Using violet periodically such as on the lower part of the tree trunks also makes the painting seem more abstract than Monet's.

In "Le Moulin de la Galette," Renoir creates a remarkably light feeling with his palate. Using white liberally to convey visual light but also emotional lightness, Renoir balances his impressionist masterpiece with black. The black in the male cafe patrons' suits, renders an aura of sophistication. The combination of white and black grabs the eye and creates a sense of movement that corresponds with the lively dancing.