French art movement of the late 19th century that, inspired by scientific knowledges about the physical compositions of colours, tried to render them in an exact as possible way. To this purpose the impressionists went into nature (plein-air-painting), to catch their subjects as they were. The surrounding light conditions let contours blur and the visual impression prevails (Atomization of the objective world).
This kind of painting was borne in the Netherlands of the 16th and 17th century. It portrays a group of persons not only aiming at the recognizable representation of these persons but also trying to present the relationship between them. A very popular motif became the family portrait representing the family mostly idyllic or representative.