Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why did art critic Louis Leroy criticize Impression, Sunrise?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Painting by Claude Monet, Self-portrait in Beret, 1886, showing Monet with a full beard, dark beret, and coat against a light, textured background. — Claude Monet *Self-Portrait with a Beret*, oil on canvas by Claude Monet, 1886; in a private collection.

Art critic Louis Leroy condemned Claude Monet's painting Impression, Sunrise because he believed the work was nothing more than a sketch.1

Leroy’s criticism stemmed from the painting's loose, broken brushwork, which lacked the traditional finish and clear definition expected by contemporary standards. Because the work was created quickly to capture a fleeting moment at dawn, it appeared unfinished to critics accustomed to more conventional, polished styles.1

In a negative review of the 1874 independent exhibition where the painting was displayed, Leroy used the title of Monet’s work to mockingly dub the group "The Exhibition of the Impressionists". While Leroy intended this as a term of contempt, the artists eventually adopted the name for their movement.12