The first impressionist exhibition of 1874 is a signpost for the changing ways in which paintings were being bought and sold. The tradition of the salon shows dominance was now being challenged, as the artists found dismay both in the selection process and the overcrowded nature of the display. The artis

Perhaps the violent opposition to the impressionists works use of violet and blue in their shadows was not as much to do with the use of these colour but the exaggerated use of them, meaning that it was the exaggerations of principles that occur naturally. "It is not necessary to add the complementary of a given hue to the canvas, since the visual result occurs anyway; in fact, if added, it would merely exaggerate the effect." This shows two points as to the difference of opinions on impressionism's use of blues and violets, the first is that of how the critics even with this knowledge struggled with its exuberance in representation. Helmholtz concluded the second in a lecture he gave on the optics of painting. "Such bright contrasts, they are observed in strongly coloured and strongly lighted object in nature, cannot be expected from their representation in the picture. If, therefore, with the pigments at his command, the artist wishes to produce the impression which the object gives, as strikingly as possible, he must paint the contrasts which they produce." To which he added: "If the colours on the picture were as brilliant and luminous as in the actual objects, the contrasts in the former case would produce themselves as spontaneously as in the latter."

Venturi, impressionists and symbolists, New York 1973

Nochlin, impressionism and post impressionism 1874-1904, New Jersy 1966

With an understanding of why the critics of that period were not so receptive to the colour use of the impressionists we turn towards what it was in their colour choices that drew the impressionists to this use of blue and violet. One reason that is not related to the science of optics is that of the introduction of synthetic pigments such as violet and ultramarine blue. The cost factor and quality of these pigment would have played some role in their decision, however this is likely to be just as much a part of it as the fact that these artists were creating a new art with all types of new methods. The impressionists' style was to create works by using pure pigment and these new paints were to give them a larger range to create with. However we must not go past what was the organizing factor involved in the impressionists colour choice which was the science of complementary colours. "The plein air school is right to put blue or violet in the shadows. For yellow, whose complement is violet, dominates much in the sun, and, by contrast violet dominates in the shadow." And indeed this is why they used the contrast of colour in the shadows as what better way to show the colour and effect of light then to contrast them with its opposite.

ts struggle to gain selection into the salon was made more difficult by the lack of evolution in the style of the selected works, the tradition of the highly polished workman that left no trace of where they had been was the usual choice. These strict definitions of what was acceptable led to the first impressionists being met with much disgust by the critics and general public of the time. Why, was the word on every body's lips, why did they paint like this? Why did they exhibit what looked much like sketches or studies? Why did they use these colours? It is when we try to answer these questions that we find that much o

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