PHILADELPHIA — California Impressionism presents more than 30 paintings that capture the sublime beauty of California from 1885 to 1931. Lent by The Irvine Museum, this traveling exhibition includes works by Franz Bischoff, Colin Campbell Cooper, Anna Hills, Granville Redmond, and Guy Rose, among others.

When the first Impressionist exhibition was held in Paris, France in 1874, art critics derided it as radical art. By the 1880s American artists, inspired by the Impressionists’ use of light, color, and optics, flocked to Paris to become students of plein air painting. Upon their return, these artists advanced American landscape painting in new ways by incorporating Impressionist techniques.

RELATED EVENTS:

Saturday, September 22 & Sunday, September 23 at the Morris Arboretum and on College Green: Plein Air Painting Competition, $100 Prize. Open to Penn students, faculty, and staff, Arthur Ross Gallery members, and Morris Arboretum members. For details and to register, call 215-898-3617 or email arg@pobox.upenn.edu. Co-sponsored by the Arthur Ross Gallery and the Morris Arboretum.

Wednesday, October 3 at 5:30 pm: Gallery talk, Impressionism: Sensation and Translation with André Dombrowski, Assistant Professor in History of Art

Saturday, October 27 at 11:15 am: Masters of Light: French and California Impressionism, Panel discussion with André Dombrowski and James Irvine Swinden, President of the Irvine Museum, Moderated by Lynn Marsden-Atlass, Director and University Curator.

California Impressionism continues at the Arthur Ross Gallery through October 28, 2012.

The Gallery is located at 220 S. 34th Street, Philadelphia, and is free and open to the public.  HOURS: Weekdays 10:00am – 5:00pm; Weekends 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm Closed Mondays. Visit us on Facebook and Twitter.  To reserve a group tour please contact us at arg@pobox.upenn.edu or 215-898-3617.  Additional information is available at www.upenn.edu/ARG or 215-898-2083.