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The word impressionism comes from the Latin 'impressio', meaning 'impression'. The term dates back to the derisive criticism of a painting by Claude Monet (1840-1926) in 1874 by the Frenchman Louis Leroy. The new way of painting spread throughout Europe between 1880 and 1900. Colour became the main creative medium. It was usually applied loosely and spontaneously to the canvas. Precision in drawing was no longer important. Impressionist artists said that the colour of an object changes depending on its surroundings or a landscape due to the type of light (e.g. sunshine or fog). Shadows are not black but can appear in different colours. Impressionists often painted outdoors. Although they did not paint details, they painted spaces and landscapes with depth.