Impressionism, a historical reconstruction

4th impressionist exposition 1879

Overview used techniques

 

Which techniques were used in 1879?
Which techniques or media were used at the 4th ‘impressionist’ exposition in 1879?
At this exposition most techniques were used.
14+2hc=16 partakers showed about 272 art-works (246 catalogue numbers) (see slideshow).

Most art-works exhibited were oil paintings.Probably 151, about 55,5% of the total amount of 272 art-works. Monet showed the most, probably 32, oil paintings. Caillebotte exhibited 3 decorative panels (no.23-25), but they were made of oil paint, so I count them as oil paitings. No.67 of  Degas probably wasn’t exhibited.

The following 2 partakers exhibited aquarelles: Forain 18x (nos.83-100); Piette exhibited at least 3 and perhaps 12 watercolours. (R2,p260+263+271;R90II,p117). I assume 8. So in total there were 26 aquarelles exhibited, about 9,6% of the total amount of art-works.

The following 4 partakers exhibited pastels: Caillebotte 6x (nos.26-31); Cassatt 3x (nos.53-55); Pissarro 4x (nos.201-204). Note: no.54 of Cassatt maybe was made of a mixed technique of pastel and metallic paint, but because the suggestion isn’t fully sure and the catalogue indicates just a pastel, I will count it as such. The catalogue mentions the following 6 works of Degas were pastels: no. 60 + 68 +70 +71 +73 +74, but no.60 +70 were also done ‘détrempe’ and no.73 also was done with gouache, so I render them as mixed technique. No.65 (détrempe) was exchanged with hc1, no.65 ending up as a pastel. Maybe hc2 also was a pastel. So in total Degas probably exhibited probably 5 pure pastels. So in total there were 18 pastels exhibited, about 6,6% of the total amount of art-works.

The following 2 partakers exhibited engravings:  Félix Bracquemond 4x (no.3-6); Somm 2x (no.228+229). So in total there were 6 engravings exhibited, about 2,2% of the total amount of art-works.

The following 6 partakers exhibited drawings: Marie Bracquemond showed 3 large panels, depicting 1 scene, so I will count it as 1 drawing (no.1); Cals 5x (nos.41-45); Forain 1x (no.107); Lebourg 10x (nos.128-137); Rouart 14x (nos.214-227); Somm maybe 6x (no.230). So in total there were maybe 37 drawings exhibited, about 13,6% of the total amount of art-works.

The following partakers exhibited art-works using mixed techniques: Cassatt exhibited 1 work ‘couleur à détrempe’ (no.56). According to the catalogue Degas exhibited several works (no.58+59+65+67+75) made with the technique ‘détrempe’ (=5). No.65 (détrempe) was exchanged with hc1 a pastel. Probably no.58+59 also were done with pastel. No. 75 was indicated as détrempe à pastel. Probably no.67 wasn’t exhibited, so I won’t count it here (5-1=4). No. 60 + 70 are indicated as pastels, but they are also done with tempera (4+2=6). No.73 of Degas was indicated being a pastel, but it was also made with gouache (6+1=7). Degas exhibited some works (no.63+64) made with the technique ‘essence’, which means the oil is thinned with terpetine / gasoline. No.63 maybe also was made of pastel and gouache, this one I will count as mixed technique and no.64 as oil painting (7+1=8). So in total Degas exhibited 8 art-works in mixed techniques. So in total there were probably 9 art-works exhibited made with mixed techniques, about 3,3% of the total amount of art-works.

Gauguin exhibited 1 sculpture without being in the catalogue (=hc), which is less than 1% of the total amount of art-works.

The following partakers exhibited fans: Degas 5x (no.77-81); Forain 4x (nos.101-104); Pissarro 12x (nos.189-200). So in total there were 21 fans exhibited, about 7,5% of the total amount of art-works.

The following partakers exhibited art-works made with other techniques: Marie Bracquemond showed a plate of earthenware / faience (mate painting) (no.2); Forain exhibited 2 screens (no.105+106); So in total there were 3 art-works exhibited made in other techniques, about 1% of the total amount of art-works.

Several above mentioned works can also be seen as applied art. This is the case for the 21 fans; 3 large panels (no.1; counted as 1 drawing) used for a painting on earthenware / faience made for the Haviland earthenware factory and the plate of earthenware / faience (mate painting) by Marie Bracquemond (no.2); the 2 screens by Forain (no.105+106); the two engraving Calenders (no.228+229) and the 6 drawings that were bookillustrations (no.230) by Somm.

 

Overview:
Here below you will find an overview. You will see that just 55,5% of the art-works were oil paintings (=oil). Many drawings (=dr) were shown (13,6%) and many aquarelles (=aqua) (9,6%). Obvious are also the 21 fans that were exhibited (7,7%). 6,6% of the art-works exhibited were pastels (=p), just 2,2% were engravings (=engr), 3,3% can be classified as mixed techniques (=mix), 1,1% as other techniques (=var) and there also was 1 sculpture exhibited outside the catalogue (=hc) by Gauguin. Monet showed far out the most and only oil paintings, about 32. Forain showed 18 aquarelles, Rouart 14 drawings and Lebourg 10. Degas showed about 8 art-works done with mixed techniques. 6 partakers showed a small amount of art-works (less than 10) and 7 partakers a large amout (more than 20). Pissarro showed the most art-works, about 39, including 12 fans. In total there were 16 partakers showing about 272 art-works. See links for general info, the catalogue and a slideshow.

Explanation:
(obvious) high number.
(obvious) low number.

 

 

Recommanded citation: “Impressionism: Overview used techniques at the 4th ‘impressionist’ exposition in 1879. Last modified 2026/04/06. https://www.impressionism.nl/4th-impressionist-exposition-techniques/”

 

Note: maybe corrections will be made in the future.