The critics and the public agreed the Impressionists couldn't draw and their colors were considered vulgar. Their compositions were strange. Their short, slapdash brushstrokes made their paintings practically illegible. ... This tradition, drawn from ancient Greek and Roman art, featured idealized images.

Why was Impressionism an insult?

Critics used the term "Impressionism" as an insult to the art form, as it implied that the works were only an impression of an artwork. The name derives from Monet's work "impression, Sunrise" which provoked critics to coin the term in a satirical review.

Why were the Impressionists originally rejected by the art community?

Early Criticism

Early impressionists were considered radicals in their time, because they did not follow the rules of academic painting. Constructing their paintings from free brushed colours, heavily influenced by aritsts such as J.M.W.