Impressionism

Impressionism (19-20th c.)• Paris, France • Artists who rejected established styles,

incorporated new technology and ideas, and depicted modern life.

• “Impressionism”: criticism; work was more impression than depiction of subject matter.

• Monet’s Impression, Sunrise.

Background• Major art societies in Europe: Academie des

Beaux-Arts in France (est. 1648) and The Royal Academy of Art in England (est. 1768).

• Set standard for what was considered “art.”• Curriculum based on ancient Classical art and

European tradition.

• Painting en plein air; everyday subjects• Emphasis on the effect of light; pure,

unblended color; no use of black or outline• Spontaneous and effortless feeling; movement;

cropped compositions• Visible, short broken brushstrokes; unusual

visual angles, perspectives

Style & Technique

Photography & Impressionism

• Emerging science of color theory.• Development of camera/photography: candid

groupings, off-center focus, deep perspectives, foreshortening, and spontaneity.

• Real world rather than world of imagination.• Depict people and landscapes without

mythological or historical exaggerations

Popular Subjects• Contemporary urban and rural life. • Modernization/industrialization. • Rural:

– leisure activities: boating and bathing.– daily life and work of villagers.

• Rural landscapes: factories and railways

Popular Subjects (cont.)

• Urban:– renovated Paris: wide boulevards, public

gardens, grand buildings.– Parisians: working class, privileged class,

singers, dancers.– Leisure time in Paris: theatrical

entertainment, cafes, popular concerts, and dances.

Little Girl in a Blue Chair, Mary Cassatt, 1878

A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, Edouard Manet, 1882

Edgar Degas(1834-1917, France)

Edgar Degas• Born in Paris; father (French banker) and mother

(American from New Orleans) encouraged to pursue art; also received degree in literature.

• Trained at Ecole des Beaux Arts; classical training.• Traveled to Italy to visit family; inspired by studying

Renaissance artists.• Served in National Guard during Franco-Prussian War.• Poor eyesight impacted painting and led in later life to

work in sculpture.

Degas: Subjects• Concerned with realism in art (didn’t consider

himself an Impressionist); depicted subjects from everyday life and actual experiences:– Some landscapes– Laundresses, milliners, ballet dancers,

women bathing• Subjects reflect social issues:

– Rise of bourgeoisie and working class (service industry)

– Leisure pursuits of wealthy

Degas: Technique & Style• Degas’ style and technique reflects

classical training at Ecole des Beaux Arts.

• Technique:– Did not work en plein air– Worked from memory and sketches

• Style:– Unusual perspectives– Interested in gestures and

movements of human figures– Media: oils, watercolors, pastels,

pencil, etching, photography, sculpture

Degas: Analysis– L ’Absinthe, 1876. – Medium: Oil on canvas.– Subject: relationship between this man

and woman.– My reaction: The people are sad and

detached. They seem to be together but there is a lack of closeness between them.

– Analysis (includes art elements and design principles): The space between them emotionally is created by the space between them physically in the painting. A space divides the painting in two; he is on one side, she the other. Further, the man’s back is reflected in the mirror behind the figures. In essence, he “turns his back on her.” The colors are subdued and monochromatic earth

tones suggesting a lack of liveliness or vitality in their relationship. There is also a lack of movement in the painting, the figures are still. This suggests the couple are stuck in their unhappiness.

Degas: Analysis– Blue Dancers, 1899 (below

right).

– More abstract figures - no facial features or expression

– “Types” based on profession

Claude Monet (1840-1926, France)

Pierre-Auguste Renoir(1841-1919, France)

Camille Pissarro(1830-1903, France )

Gustave Caillebotte (1848-1894, France)

Frederic Bazille(1841-1870, France)

Mary Cassatt(1844-1926, United States)

Armand Guillaumin(1841-1927, France)

Berthe Morisot(1841-1895, France)

Alfred Sisley(1839-1899, Great Britain)

Post-ImpressionismPost-Impressionism• Art that developed after first Impressionists.Art that developed after first Impressionists.• Extension and rejection of ImpressionismExtension and rejection of Impressionism’’s limitationss limitations

– triviality of subject mattertriviality of subject matter– loss of structure loss of structure

• Some artists used bolder, more distinct lines.Some artists used bolder, more distinct lines.• Some artists used even bolder colors.Some artists used even bolder colors.• Artists: Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, Henri Artists: Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, Henri

Rousseau, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and others.Rousseau, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and others.

Neo-ImpressionismNeo-Impressionism• Founded by Georges Seurat (late 19th c.).Founded by Georges Seurat (late 19th c.).• Focused on urban scenes, landscapes, and seashores.Focused on urban scenes, landscapes, and seashores.• Science-based interpretation of lines and colors: Science-based interpretation of lines and colors:

pointillism technique.pointillism technique.• Artists: Paul Signac, Anna Boch, Henri Edmond Cross, Artists: Paul Signac, Anna Boch, Henri Edmond Cross,

Albert Dubois-Pillet, Willy Finch, Georges Lemmen, Albert Dubois-Pillet, Willy Finch, Georges Lemmen, Maximilien Luce and others.Maximilien Luce and others.

The Pre-RaphaelitesThe Pre-Raphaelites

Pre-Raphaelite Pre-Raphaelite BrotherhoodBrotherhood

• London, 1848.London, 1848.• Secret society of seven young poets, Secret society of seven young poets,

artists, and critics (colleagues at Royal artists, and critics (colleagues at Royal Academy of Art).Academy of Art).

• Purpose: create a new British art.Purpose: create a new British art.• Rejected academy art; reaction against Rejected academy art; reaction against

Neo-classicism.Neo-classicism.• Emulated art from late medieval and Emulated art from late medieval and

early Renaissance Europe.early Renaissance Europe.• Reaction against political upheaval, Reaction against political upheaval,

mass industrialization, and social mass industrialization, and social problems of the time.problems of the time.

• Message of artistic renewal and moral Message of artistic renewal and moral reform.reform.

The BrotherhoodThe Brotherhood• Founders: William Holman Hunt (painter), Founders: William Holman Hunt (painter),

John Everett Millais (painter and illustrator), John Everett Millais (painter and illustrator), and Dante Gabriel Rossetti (painter, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti (painter, illustrator, poet, translator). illustrator, poet, translator).

• William Michael Rossetti (writer and critic), William Michael Rossetti (writer and critic), James Collinson (painter), Frederick George James Collinson (painter), Frederick George Stephens (art critic), and Thomas Woolner Stephens (art critic), and Thomas Woolner (sculptor and poet) joined brotherhood with (sculptor and poet) joined brotherhood with three founders.three founders.

Pre-Raphaelite StylePre-Raphaelite Style• Attention to detail.Attention to detail.• Luminous, bright color.Luminous, bright color.• Symbolic.Symbolic.• Lack of shadow; flattened forms.Lack of shadow; flattened forms.• Truthful depiction of nature.Truthful depiction of nature.

SubjectsSubjects• Noble, religious, and moralistic subjects.Noble, religious, and moralistic subjects.• Depicted ideas of justice, piety, family Depicted ideas of justice, piety, family

relationships, struggle against corruption.relationships, struggle against corruption.• Depicted scenes from poetry (DanteDepicted scenes from poetry (Dante’’s s Divine Divine

ComedyComedy) and medieval legends (Legend of King ) and medieval legends (Legend of King Arthur); allegorical themes (The Wheel of Arthur); allegorical themes (The Wheel of Fortune); portrayals of female vice and virtue.Fortune); portrayals of female vice and virtue.