From the late 19th to early 20th century, Paris and its surroundings were at the centre of the art world. In order to demonstrate the wide-reaching influence of French art, we have paired French paintings with British examples. We explore three key strands of this French influence: painting directly from nature, depicting real people engaged in everyday tasks and painting techniques. In 1874, a group of artists with similar aims exhibited together in what is now known as the First Impressionist Exhibition. Prior to this, French artists had begun to experiment with painting out of doors. Artists who painted the landscape around Barbizon, south-east of Paris, paved the way for the Impressionists.