Home Plein Air and Art History

Plein Air and Art History

The Artist Who Introduced Monet to Plein Air

Eugene Boudin (1824-1898) is rightly considered one of the forerunners of French Impressionism, and his influence was quite direct. As Claude Monet's first teacher,...

The Artist Who Introduced Monet to America

In the January 2013 issue of PleinAir, art historian Laurene Buckley, Ph.D., introduces readers to the artist once called the "discoverer of Monet." Ohio-born...

Early Influences: Mike Manley

Philadelphia painter Mike Manley sees this N.C. Wyeth painting as a good example of what people really mean when they say a painting “looks...

Early Influences: Rusty Jones

Rusty Jones had an early influence in his artistic development. A particularly strong one. Lead Image: “Hill Country,” by Avis Jones, 1922, oil, 10...
Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, The Bridge at Narni, 1826, oil on paper.

History

The History of Plein Air Painting Before the 19th century, landscape painting was used as the basis for allegorical and narrative themes. The landscape was...
Plein Air Heritage: Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1796-1875)

Plein Air Heritage: Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1796-1875)

As a plein air painter, you are part of one of the largest art movements in history. Learn about artist Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot here.

A New Range of Landscape Painting Subjects

Sometimes artists redefine themselves and reach new collectors simply by painting a new range of landscape painting subjects...

Painting a Presidential Centennial

- Bob Bahr reporting, Editor PleinAir Today - Members of the Ohio Plein Air Society and their guests recently gathered at a presidential library to...
Photo of Christoval art colony painters

In the Steps of the Master: A West Texas Adventure

A hundred years ago, coming to West Texas was the ultimate adventure ... Roughing it was not an abstract concept on these sketching trips.

Early Influences: Steven James Petruccio

In this occasional series, we talk to plein air artists about a piece of art that inspired them when they were young. This week,...

Degas’ Studies from Life

For several successive evenings in January 1879, Edgar Degas (1834-1917) made graphite drawings and pastel paintings during performances by a famous aerialist known as...

Three Generations of Buerkles

Throughout art history, it’s common to find generations of families with art as their vocation. Despite being less frequent today, there are artists alive today who find themselves part of a storied family tradition, including the talented Poppy Balser. What happens when artistic passion is not only inherited, but encouraged and supported in the younger generation?

When Frederic Church Turned His Attention to Landscape Architecture

Olana, the estate of Hudson River School painter Frederic Church, wrapped up its annual plein air paint-out on October 18 with a reception, exhibition,...