Which critic coined the term 'Impressionism' in reference to Monet's painting?

Which critic coined the term 'Impressionism' in reference to Monet's painting?

• A. Louis Leroy
• B. Roger Fry
• C. G. Albert Aurier
• D. John Ruskin

Answer: (A)

Impressionism is named after a critical remark about a painting, not a formal declaration of a school. Louis Leroy, a Parisian critic, wrote about Monet’s painting Impression, Sunrise during the 1874 exhibition of independent artists. He used the word “impression” to mock the rough, momentary quality of the work. That snappy label stuck, and the artists embraced it to describe their approach—choosing to capture fleeting light and quick, visible brushstrokes rather than a polished, academic finish. So, Leroy is the critic who coined the term. The other critics mentioned were influential in art history, but they did not coin the name.

Impressionism is named after a critical remark about a painting, not a formal declaration of a school. Louis Leroy, a Parisian critic, wrote about Monet’s painting Impression, Sunrise during the 1874 exhibition of independent artists. He used the word “impression” to mock the rough, momentary quality of the work. That snappy label stuck, and the artists embraced it to describe their approach—choosing to capture fleeting light and quick, visible brushstrokes rather than a polished, academic finish. So, Leroy is the critic who coined the term. The other critics mentioned were influential in art history, but they did not coin the name.