Do you love art, but can't stand the crowds at art exhibitions, or can't travel to your favourite exhibits? Exhibition On Screen is showing a new film that brings the world's greatest art exhibits to the comfort of your cinema seat.

On Tuesday May 26, the film The Impressionists and the Man Who Made Them is screening nationally, with the film offering screenings in both Vue, Harrow and Vue Westfield, White City.

Along with a chance to see Impressionist's work up-close, the film also explores the history of the Impressionists, and sees curators and galleries prepare for a large exhibit, with exclusive interviews.

The film also offers diary entries and insights from 19th century Parisian art collector Paul Durand-Ruel who, with his financial backing, support and championing of the Impressionists, was one of the major figures in bringing recognition to one of the most loved movements in the history of Western art.

Director and producer of the film, Phil Grabsky, said: "There's always a danger of thinking we know everything we need to know about the Impressionists, but that is the very reason it's so exciting to take a fresh look at these revolutionary artists.

"I am thrilled to have made this film that, through the remarkable story of Paul Durand Ruel, the man who made the Impressionists what they are, we can bring an exciting, revealing and powerful new perspective of the world's favourite artists to an international audience."

Facts you didn't know about the Impressionists

Phil Grabsky has been kind enough to let us know his top five facts that you probably didn't know about the Impressionists!

  1. The name 'Impressionist' comes from Monet's painting: Impression - Sunrise. A critic hated this type of work and dubbed this group of painters 'The Impressionists' as an insult. The painters (Monet, Renoir, Degas, Morisot, Pissarro et al) disliked the name at first but then grew to use it themselves.
  2. One of the top impressionist painters was born of British parents living in Paris; his name was Alfred Sisley.
  3. London was hugely influential to the impressionists; fleeing the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, some came to London where they painted many masterpieces and met their great influence JMW Turner.
  4. The Impressionists were fascinated by changing light: Monet painted Rouen Cathedral more than 30 times. He also famously painted Gare St Lazare in Paris filled with steaming trains. He had persuaded the stationmaster to let him keep the trains in the station while he painted. The station filled with so much steam & coal dust that the stationmaster feared for everyone's life and had to evacuate trains, passengers, staff and Monet with his easel and paints. The painting is now one of the National Gallery's most loved artworks.
  5. The first public collection to hang an Impressionist work wasn't in France or the UK but in the USA (the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)

For more information about the Exhibition On Screen screenings, head to the official website.