# Art-related gift ideas (or, teach me about impressionism) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 12, 2004, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-related-gift-ideas-or-teach-me-about-impressionism/224168 "2004-01-12T14:13:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-related-gift-ideas-or-teach-me-about-impressionism/224168/1 "2004-01-12T14:13:18Z")
I’m not having much luck finding what I’m looking for through Yahoo, but I am finding plenty of online galleries. I just don’t know what I’m looking for. Here’s the situation: My friend’s birthday is coming up in a few days, and I’m looking for a good gift for her. She mentioned that she really likes Impressionist paintings, so I was thinking about buying a poster or print, but I don’t know how much it would cost or where to get that kind of thing. I’m also in a little bit of a time crunch. So, for the art-savvy Dopers, who are the biggies in Impressionism? Monet? Van Gogh? What are the more famous works? And who was the guy that painted scenes with thousands of little paint dots? I’d appreciate any light people can shed for me. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-related-gift-ideas-or-teach-me-about-impressionism/224168/2 "2004-01-12T14:34:31Z")
There are lots of poster/print places on line. I personally think it’s very difficult to buy art for another person. I’d give a gift certificate and your friend can do the actual picking. If you go to a poster store in your area, you can go together and discuss what she/he likes dislikes about the various impressionists. Nice gift idea, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![Patr100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Patr100](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patr100)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-related-gift-ideas-or-teach-me-about-impressionism/224168/3 "2004-01-12T15:12:08Z")
Seurat was the guy who pointed with little dots. ---
**Author:** ![Patr100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Patr100](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patr100)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-related-gift-ideas-or-teach-me-about-impressionism/224168/4 "2004-01-12T15:13:53Z")
Painted even. Called Pointillism. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-related-gift-ideas-or-teach-me-about-impressionism/224168/5 "2004-01-12T15:16:20Z")
Monet is the logical choice. Pick something by Pis(s)arro or Sisley and you are more original. Image google on these names and see what you like. ---
**Author:** ![eeclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/49beb7/32.png) [@eeclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eeclem)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-related-gift-ideas-or-teach-me-about-impressionism/224168/6 "2004-01-12T15:38:22Z")
[art.com](http://art.com) has tons of posters and prints. however, i agree that it’s really hard to buy art for someone else. maybe go with a monet calendar or book with great pictures? ---
**Author:** ![moi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@moi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moi)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2004, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-related-gift-ideas-or-teach-me-about-impressionism/224168/7 "2004-01-13T22:20:49Z")
Hey, **av8rmike**. My recommendation for an art poster site is Global Gallery ([http://www.globalgallery.com](http://www.globalgallery.com)). Not only do they sell a lot of great prints, they also include information about artists and movements (See? Info about Impressionism [here](http://www.globalgallery.com/knowledgecenter/know.impressionism.asp)). They also have a 30-day return policy, so if your friend doesn’t like the print, she can pick her own. Another option would be to get her a book on impressionism (maybe I’m projecting here, though… ;)). My recommendations would be anything published by [Taschen](http://www.taschen.com) or Thames and Hudson’s World of Art Series ([Impressionism: Origins, Practice, Reception](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0500203350/qid=1074032182/sr=1-25/ref=sr_1_25/104-5770689-1503931?v=glance&s=books), for example).