With their highly distinctive style and artworks, many of the Impressionists continue to be household names selling out art exhibitions all over the world. From Monet to Degas to Marie Bracquemond, the Impressionist style has a seemingly eternal appeal. The books featured below provide an engaging overview and insight into this style for art lovers of all ages from young children to teenagers and beyond.
Disclosure: The Amazon links below are affiliate links. This means that, at no cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize the purchase.
Sharing With Renoir
by Julie Merberg (Author), Suzanne Bober (Author)
Review: Olden but golden, Sharing With Renoir delightfully introduces the youngest readers to Renoir’s works. This 22-page board book is well-designed for little hands to flick through. Clear reproductions are accompanied by child-friendly rhyming text. The selected artworks all have the theme of sharing time together, providing a wonderful talking point for parents, educators and children. This is definitely worth a look.
Suggested Reading Age: Toddlers and above.
Ella In The Garden Of Giverny
by Daniel Fehr (Author), Monika Vaicenaviciene (Illustrator)
Review: Readers will enjoy learning all about Monet, his life and his technique through the eyes of a young girl named Ella. This beautifully illustrated picture book follows Ella as she sneaks into Monet’s garden at Giverny and meets the great artist himself. A wonderful way of discovering the artist, additional back matter provides a timeline, further information about Impressionism as well as more details about the garden at Giverny. Recommended.
Suggested Reading Age: 4 – 8 years old.
Art On The Wall: Impressionism
by Jane Bingham
Review: Part of the Art On The Wall series, this well-rounded book provides readers with a terrific introduction to Impressionism. It begins by explaining what Impressionism is before exploring techniques, subject matter and artists associated with the movement. A useful timeline is provided at the end of the book, along with a glossary and suggestions for further reading. Artists’ biographies and activities to try further enhance the content. This would make a great addition to any reference library.
Suggested Reading Age: Upper primary and beyond.
Impressionism In My Gallery
by Emilie Dufresne (Author), Danielle Rippengill (Illustrator)
Review: Readers will easily learn about Impressionism, Impressionist techniques and seminal pieces of impressionist art with this super addition to the In My Gallery series. Through the course of the book, learners are given prompts to create Impressionist-style paintings inspired by masters of the tradition such as Monet, Degas and Mary Cassatt. These self-created works ultimately enable readers to create their own art galleries. This makes an enjoyable and accessible introduction to the movement.
Click here to take a look inside.
Suggested Reading Age: 9 – 11 years old.
The Private Lives of the Impressionists
by Sue Roe
Review: Reading like a novel, The Private Lives of the Impressionists provides an enjoyable, in-depth look at the lives of countless Impressionists. Divided into 7 parts, Sue Roe begins by explaining the birth of Impressionism and then traces the development of the movement before charting its eventual decline. Highly entertaining and informative, this makes a perfect guide for readers wanting to better understand the artists behind the works. Would make a great addition to any art history collection.
Look here for a taste of the book.
Suggested Reading Age: Older teens and beyond.
Happy Reading!
Other Arts Posts You May Enjoy:
Pop Art: Eye-Catching Art For The Masses
Art Techniques: For Artists Young And Old
Fascinating Frida: Frida Kahlo And Her Art
Do YOU know any great books about Impressionism to add to this list? If so, please leave a recommendation below .