a group of 19th century French painters in Paris who attempted to convey in painting the impression gained from the direct observation of nature. Concerned principally with the study of light and its refractions, they used short brush strokes of bright colors in immediate juxtaposition (put side by side or close together) to represent the effect of light on objects. Their style was a rebellion against the accepted schools of painting of their day, and for a n entire generation their work was generally ignored or ridiculed. —Art Book Glossary (Appr. 15 Mar. 91)