Impressionism/ Post Impressionism

Toulouse Lautrec lithograph advertising dance entertainment subject matter (extra examples)

- Lautrec best known for lithograph prints advertising Paris night clubs and their performers -simplification of form allowed for "Branding" of performers in poster form -presentation of private lives of performers was subject matter of his paintings -was short as hell -main subject matter confined to Monmartre district in Paris -prostitutes; entertainers -addicted to absinthe 1890s Jane Avril posters show abstracted branding style

Preferred general subject matter of Impressionism

- a moment in time (gesture and/ or atmospheric) -not heroic, not historical subjects -preferred genre scenes, landscapes, cityscape, potraits -series = repeated study of location or activity

divisionism/pointillism/optical mix - a color theory associated with the work of Seurat

- the seperation of color into component parts--- applies science -paints genre scenes but is modern in applying color theory (which is now largely disproven) -massing of comma shapes of paint -- as we move away the image shows itself; the color mixes on our retina (optical mix color theory) Michel Eugene Chevreul- simultaneous contrast theory Charles Henry

Vincent van Gogh "Night Cafe" 1888 Post Impressionism

-"I use color more arbitrarily to express myself more forcibly" "I have tried to express the terrible passions of humanity by means of red and green" -perspective not systematic linear perspective -on a tilt - auras of light around the light bulbs -=^^could have to do with absinthe / epilepsy -pretty small

Claude Monet "Waterlilies" Nymphea series at Orangerie Musee

-Claude Monet created the garden/ pond himself that he painted over and over again -willow tree -he paints it in a way that it looks vast, it's not really that big -3 decades of painting this? -NYMPHEA -takes out the horizon line so we are just in the pond -had important influence on later modern artists; Pollock -largest of the waterlily paintings painted in a studio 1914-20 idea came about and executed -worked on it inside to protect from the elements -intended to give the french 8 panels slightly curved in honor of peace celebrating the end of WWI ; he never lived to see the installation -at is time Monet was so beloved that this was a wonderful gift -two oval rooms at the Orangerie museum (located in a garden) in Paris -lighting is very beautiful and realistic; guards ask people not to speak so it is a contemplative experience - you float along with the waterlilies -sketch aesthetic; impasto

Alexandre-Gustav Eiffel "Eiffel Tower, Paris" 1889 Post Impressionism

-Gustave Eiffel- an engineer -Symbol of Modern Paris A IRON SKELETON "architecture of honesty" rather than disguise - CAST IRON -Built for a centennial exhibition (anniversary of french revolution) -984 ft tall was once the tallest structure -Located on Champ des Mars (field of war) off the River Seine -a "gateway" expressing ideas of revolution and progress -ROMAN TRIUMPHAL ARCHES -GOTHIC (cathedral) SPIRES AT TOP -fair was a big deal and needed a big entry way -was an elevator -restaurant on the tower -Gustave Eiffel - once chosen had to pay for it himself; got to keep money made from it --he had the money to do it -based on a sand bed to even out legs -newer building technique-cast offsite and assembled onsite -Highly trained welders worked on it year round -welders wanted more money for taller heights -public initially made fun of it bc it looked unfinished -also designed the interior of the Statue of Liberty

VINCENt VAN GOGH

-How did VVG use of color differ from the Impressionists? --he used more bold color that wasn't naturally descriptive of the scene he was seeing and attached color symbolism to it -How would one describe the significance VVG attached to color? --had own set of symbolic interpretations of color; highly personal; not like impressionism at all - that wasn't their purpose they would never paint with personal colors --yellow=sunshine -What was a favorite color combo for VVG? -a complementary color scheme (take the color wheel and look at colors opposite each other)(yellow +blue)(green +red) (warm + cool colors) -gave his paintings a powerful expressive quality

Claude Monet "Impression: Sunrise" 1872 Impressionism

-Musee Marmatton, Paris -title gave the name to the entire style period -was in an exhibition of unexperienced artists in Nadar's studio in Paris -a critic initially negatively critiqued it and said it didn't look finished -AESTHETIC FOCUS: exactly representing light falling upon an object at a specific moment; tried to paint exactly what was in front of him -Claude born in Paris but moved to Le Harve harbor (where this painting is) when he was 5 -painted this from a room at sunrise -the moment he captures quickly -fisherman, cranes, factories (industrial port) -rather small painting (19x25 in) -impasto

Theo van Gogh

-Theos kid is "little Vincent" who made his uncle famous and established his museum

vvg bio

-What vocation did Van Gogh initially think he should take up? What aspects of this interest are shown in his art? -initially a minister -came from devout protestant strict family -was informally a minister to the poor - had love of people and love of humanity -was unsuccessful as minister bc of his people skills What commercial success did VVG receive in his lifetime? -sold 1 painting during his lifetime landscape of almond tree -pretty much none What physical ailments plagued VVG? Affect on his art? -probably had bipolar disease -wasn't easy for him to get along with people and wanted to make better connections to people -had high highs and low lows -addicted to absinthe which messed with his brain and hallucinated -epilepsy -chemicals in paint -self admitted to asylum bc didn't want to be alone for epileptic attacks What provided essential financial and moral support to VVG? -his brother THEO -had other siblings but was estranged from them -Theo encouraged and believed in Vincent -gave him money for paints and canvases ; Theo dealt art and had the money "I have fire inside me but no one comes to warm themselves and passersby only see a stream of smoke"

Gustave Caillebotte. "Paris, Rainy Day" 1877 Impressionism

-broad boulevards -same streets still there today -cobblestones glisten with water -Caillebotte was wealthy and would buy his colleagues paintings to help them out -subject matter preference: Bourgeoise modern Paris Urban Impressionism -unusually large for impressionist painting - had to do it in a studio -painting modern Paris -representing Bourgeoise class -also did bridge and balcony paintings

Renoir "Le Moulin de la Galette" 1876 Impressionism

-entertainment establishment -lots of young people gather here - sunlight brings polka dot effect -can still walk by this place in Paris -Musee d'Orsay -open air space; park benches are still there -people eating, drinking -positive sense of things are going well -emphasis on modern activity -(outdoor Parisian dance hall) -no clear focal point; just what you would see if you were here

Georges Seurat "A Sunday on La Grande Jatte" 1886 Post Impressionism

-large -took 2 years -Similarities to impressionism? Emphasis on social class -not the same movement or fluidity as Monet or impressionists -the big bowl? -he would study this place and the people who would go there -monkey on leash symbolize exoticism -rower -woman and child -picnic -genre scene borrowed from impressionism -was not painting in plein aire -he wasn't very popular in having many followers -Salon rejected his style; so did academies

Paul Gauguin "Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?" 1897 Post Impressionism

-painted just before arsenic suicide attempt -large painting -oil on burlap -here he makes an existentialist spiritual statement -very deep subject matter -old woman is end stage baby is a middle stage -eve figure taking from tree -MFA Boston -he was told he was more interesting when he was away than when he was in Paris -did sell paintings but was not a wealthy man -abandoned 3d modeling very flat figures -influence of medieval stain glass and jewelry -poetic symbolic personally significant subject matter

General style influences on Impressionists

-photography -Japonisme -plein aire technique / alla prima painting -loaded brush - impasto -sketch aesthetic

Gauguin

-savage side and noble side? -"Noble savage" -was a stockbroker and walked away to pursue painting -doesn't exactly recount reality

his style

-short heavy Stuccato application of paint -moved around throughout life -was born in netherlands and he and theo were art dealers -then went to london to deal art with theo -then to Paris where he was introduced to avant garde art -then went to Arles where he paints most his work ESSAY?????? -was not interested in painting a particular time of day/ season but more an emotional response to what he saw --- monet wouldn't have done this as it would have negated what was right in front of him

Monet's train station paintings

-shows haussmann renovations -long series he kept returning to same train station -suggest the evolution of the city/ modernness of Paris -able to reapproach subject matters so many times because they are ever changing due to light

Closisonne- abstracted application of color associated with the work of Paul Gauguin, based on medieval jewelry making technique

-technique of enameling in which the design is laid down in thin metal strips on a ground forming chambers to receive enamel paste or precious stones (JEWELRY MAKING) -maybe inspired stain glass windows -Day of the gods painting

Edgar Degas "Ballet" and "Horse Races" series Impressionism

-traditional art critics may say these have nothing to do with anything -features practice scenes, not the greatest moment -ballerina come from the working class in the 19th c.

Defining Impressionism

1. Artists who exhibited in the 8 independent exhibitions regularly 1874-1890 2. Artists who preferred a "sketch aesthetic" painterly style, impasto paint application to create a spontaneous capturing of a moment, directly observed

1850-1875 Haussmanization of Paris

Baron Georges Haussmann, Paris city superintendent. appointed by Napoleon III to redesign central Paris for more open space, to unify and embellish the city, and to allow for more efficient troop movement through the city in the event of another revolution. IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE: wider boulevards, sewers, gas street lamps, large parks, bridges, canals, city center train stations, and central marketplace Apartments for bourgeois social class were a by-product -wanted to compete with London and make Paris more beautiful && allow for better troop movement

Mary Cassatt

Born in PA -American expatriate -friend of Degas -Advisor to important American art collectors of French Impressionism Preferred subject matter: -Mother and Child -Women in Domestic settings -note social restrictions on women in bourgeoise class gender + social status limited her being able to paint certain things

Auguste Rodin "The Gates of Hell" 1881-1917 Post Impressionism

Bronze commisioned by gov --Historical precedents?- sin of lust note some individual elements of this piece also exist as separate works of art -he said it would never be finished -same man in 3 positions guardians of gates of hell -the thinker= Rodin and Dante contemplating what it means to be eternally damned to hell -figures trying to climb up and out of hell but they will never escape -some unformed, some realistic -one at Stanford one at Rodin museum -inspired by GATES OF PARADISE -GHIBERTI -Rodin traveled to Florence and Rome admired this and the work of Michelangelo -The thinker is inspired by Michelangelo's Last Judgement scene -Rodin made a larger thinker in a separate sculpture

Nationalism in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871

France lost war with Prussia (modern germany) france had to pay reparations and wanted to put it behind them due to embarrasment

Rodin

French Post impressionist sculpture -significant style elements: expressive surface treatment - leaves fingerprints and adds contrasting textures -he would make the work in clay or wax and assistance would cast in bronze -had such a well setup studio --introduction of the body fragment -expressive power -his intention was not to have sculpture on pedestal

COLOR

How was VVG'S use of color different from the Impressionists? - Describe the significance that VVG attached to color What was a favorite color combo of VVG

Vincent van Gogh "Starry Night" 1889 Post Impressionism

MOMA NYC -view he had over the city of Arles from the asylum -note combination of view from asylum and artist imagination -note interpretations of this painting -more personal expression unlike the impressionists -cypress tree = symbolic associations with death/ flamelike shape -moon and stars are somewhat aligned with the way they would have looked at time -painting wind? or turbulence -hillside protects the little village -conflating the southern France landscape with his memory of dutch landscapes -"we take death to reach a star"

Impressionist Artists

Monet Renoir Pissarro Caillebotte Degas Cassatt (American)

Giverny

Monet's private estate garden north of Paris -lived and painted here for the rest of his life -purchased in 1883 -Monet redirected part of the Epte River to create the waterlily pond

Auguste Renoir

Renoir took canvas outside plein aire and captured genre paintings earlier in career, later did studio work and sort of rejected impressionism -Bourgoise leisure - early and mid career -as we back away brush strokes turn to readable objects

Seurat

Seurat created a systematic method of applying color, rather than trying to catch a momentary sensation of color

Edgar degas

Typical subject matter: Paris based urban setting -horse races -ballet/orchestra performances -Bathers -Milners -Laundresses.... Typical working methods/ materials: location sketch, finish painting in studio, paint thinly applied (not impasto), pastels, produced sculpture and photographs gesture of the moment captured rather than atmospheric effects frames are fixed like photography and get the feeling that people move out of the frame quickly

New discoveries in color and light theory

especially regarding the retina of the eye and the perception of color. Painters reasoned that objects were not so much things in themselves as they were agents for the absorption of light (Heimholtz)

japonisme

french term that means anything / everything japanese -the French fascination with all things Japanese during the second half of the 19th century resulting from Admiral Perry (American) opening up Japan for international trade in 1853 -CASSATT -severe cropping / abbreviated views influenced by Japanese prints

Monet

irregular painting education -wasn't promising student and was introduced to landscaping painting -went to Paris to make way in art world -painted popular activities and moments in time -lived and worked in Normandy

impasto

loaded brush

Noa Noa (Paul Gauguin's Tahitian journal ) Note also the translated name of Noa Noa

means fragrance -gives us fragrance of tropics without the cold hard facts -painting from perspective of enchanted artist's soul -one of first artists to appreciate NONWESTERN ART

plein aire (aka alla prima painting)

means painting outdoors -reaches fullest point of experiment in impressionism (smaller canvases bc of this) -fresh, no underpainting or underdrawing -no elaborate perspective system

The potato eaters VVG

reduced color pallette compared to later work -painted this family in very humble environment -nobby features -bodies brutalized by picking potatoes 1885

James Abbot McNeill Whistler

was American then mostly lived in London -inspired by the sensation of listening to music -Ruskin art critic said he was throwing paint in the public's face (lawsuit) -arrangement of color compositions with his limited color palette 32 night landscapes -his job as an artist was not to immitate but to make artistic arrangements of color like a musical piece

Camille Pissarro Paris urban scenes from birds eye perspective such as "La Place du Theatre Francais"

you can see the wider boulevards -also - boulevard Monmart on a Winter Morning 1897 -the new apartments allowed for birds eye view of city -note influence of photography (cropped edges) -names the time of day in these