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Sierra Smith

Ericka Gantick

Katie Goss

Andrew Ling

11/7/14

Group 7 DiscussionSummary of The Origins of Painting and its Representational Value

What is Realism?

o Legr asks the question: what does that represent?

o He asserts the claim that the realistic value of a work of art is completely

independent of any imitative character

o The quality of a pictorial work is in direct proportion to its quantity of realism

o But what constitutes realism?

Pictorial realism is the simultaneous ordering of three great plastic

components:

Lines

Forms

Colorso Since period pieces do not have the components needed to attain to pure

realism, they must finally disappear

Impressionists:

o The impressionists were the first to reject the absolute value of the subject and

to consider its value to be merely relative

o Impressionists are the great originators of the present movement wishing to free

themselves from the imitative aspect

o They considered painting for its color only, neglecting all form and all lines

Focused on green apple against red carpet shows relationship between 2

toneso The imitation of the subject that their work still involves is a theme and nothing

more

Visual Realism vs. Realism of Conception:

o Epoch of French painting is a precise moment that the two great pictorial

concepts (visual realism & realism of conception) meet

o Visual realism demands an object, a subject, and devices of perspective that are

now considered negative and antirealistic

o Realism of Conception has already been achieved in many contemporary

pictures

Czanne vs. Manet

o Czanne

Understands traditional painting

Felt the necessity for new form and draftsmanship closely linked to the

new color

Took over after Manet

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A transitional painter

Finds a color and struggles in the pursuit of a structure and form that

Manet destroyed

Feels that it is necessary to express the great reality

o Manet

Gradually abandoned the methods of his predecessors to arrive atimpressionism

Great creator of impressionism

Was inspired by Velsquez & Goya, and the luminous works to arrive at

new forms

o All great movements in painting have always proceeded by revolution, by

reaction, but not by evolution

o The relationships among volumes, lines, and colors will prove to be the

springboard for all the work of recent years

o Pictorial contrasts (complementary colors, lines, and forms) are the structural

basis of modern pictures

Transition of Eras:

o Many people think that modern painting is passing through a stage, but that it

will return to what is commonly called painting for everyone

However, people are making a mistake by saying this because when art is

in possession of all its means, it is bound to be dominant for a very long

time

o If art had not had an affinity with its own time, and had not been an evolution

deriving from past epochs, it would not have been able to survive

o Modern mechanical achievements (color photography, motion-picture camera,

popular novels, popularization of theaters, etc.) have effectively replaced the

visual, sentimental, representational, and popular pictorial art None of the paintings in the French Salon can compete with modern day

cinema

o Subject paintings reason for existence has disappeared

o The portrait painter is dying out, and the genre and historical painters will die

out too not by a natural death but killed off by their period

o Since the means of expression have multiplied, plastic art must logically limit

itself to its own purpose: realism of conception

o Architectural art is confining itself to its own means the relationship between

lines and the balance of large masses; the decorative element itself is becoming

plastic and architectural

o

Pictorial art gains in realismo The modern conception is not simply passing abstraction is the total expression

of new generation whose needs it shares and whose aspirations it answers

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Discussion Questions:

1.

How do you think modern art has changed since previous times? What certainaspects can you point out when comparing Manets work vs. Czannes work?

Dejeuner Sur LHerbe (Manet) The Basket of Apples (Czanne)

2. Why do you think that modern mechanical achievements (i.e. movies,

photography, etc.) have replaced pictorial art? What are some aspects that aided

in this transition?

3. Why do you think impressionists only focused on contrasting colors and not on

form or lines?

4.

Can people as observers of art almost expect each new form of art to bedemanding of a great reaction?

5. Why do we continue to be surprised by this recurring movement that has been

occurring throughout history?

6. Do you think that art has transformed throughout time in a negative or a positive

way? Why?

7. Do you believe that we are awaiting an end to this modern phase of art? If so,

what do you believe might come next? Will old styles of art become popular

again? Or will there be a new style of art that evolves?