Impressionism and Surrealism
Impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s (ewald, 1973, p. 6). The name of the style itself is derived from the title of a Clajude Monet work, Impression, soleil levant (Impression, Sunrise), which provoked the critic Louis Leroy to coin the term in a review in a Parisian newspaper (ewald, 1973, p.7).
There are several facets of impressionist painting that align its works together. Artists tended to use short, thick brush strokes which were thought to capture the essence of a subject rather than the details. Colors were often applied side-by-side with little mixing, which created a vibrant surface that created an optical combining of colors that was perceived by the viewer's eyes in standing at a distance. Additionally, impressionists tend to favor the inclusion of unusual angles within their…...
mlaReferences
Ades, D. And Gale, M. (2007). Surrealism. London, UK: Oxford University Press.
Durozoi, G. (2004). History of the Surrealist movement. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Rewald, J. (1973). The history of Impressionism, 4th ed. New York, NY: MOMA
Publications.
Impressionism: Claude Monet's Impressions of a Sunrise
The word 'impressionniste' was first used to describe Claude Monet and his group of artists when the word appeared in the Paris art publication the Charivari on April 25, 1874. Louis Leroy sneered that Claude Monet's painting "Impression Sunrise" was merely an impression with a brush, not a true work of painting. (Pioch, "Impressionism," 2004) Yet although the phrase "impressionist" was used in a derrogatory fashion to describe what would become a seminal landscape paintin of 20th century art, long after Leroy himself was forgotte, the painting "Impressions: soleil levant," (to use the French term) should not be seen merely as embodying the impressionist movement. It is also a unique work of the artist.
Art critic Robert Herbert has called Monet's work a deepening of Manet's previous, flatter renditions of aristocratic and suburban Paris. Rather than "modern," and extroverted in its style, like Manet's portraits…...
mlaWorks Cited
Herbert, Robert. Impressionism: Art, Leisure, and Parisian Society. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1991.
Kelder, Diane. The Great Book of French Impressionists. New York: Abbeville Press, 2000.
Pioch, Nicolas. "Impressionism." 14 Oct 2004. Web Art: Paris.
In reality, Van Gogh did not seek nor did he analyze the harmony of nature here; instead, he transformed it by projecting a vision entirely all his own.
In conclusion, the great Impressionist painters revealed in their work a restless, self-conscious search for freedom of expression so characteristic of the late 1880's and into the early years of the 20th century. Their desire for a more modern form of expression led them to prize the immediacy of visual impression and persuaded those that followed to revel in a spontaneous atmosphere and climate so characteristic of the Impressionist period. As John Rewald informs us, the Impressionists bore more than mere feelings and imaginations, for they depended upon purely visual sensations while acknowledging that "the world. . . is no longer a given order of masses. . . It is the source of sensations of light and color with no fixed order,…...
mlaBIBLIOGRAPHY
Adams, Laurie S. A History of Western Art. 3rd. ed. New York: McGraw-Hill College Division, 2001.
"Impressionism: Art and Modernity." Timeline of Art History. Internet. 2005. Accessed march 10, 2005. http://www.netmuseum.org/toah/hd/imm/hd_imml.htm.
Miller, Margaret, ed. Paul Klee. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1956.
Rewald, John. Studies in Post Impressionism. New York; Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1986.
Impressionism
Monet's Parasol
ased in the 19th century, impressionism was a type of art that was associated with Paris-based artists. Some characteristics of impressionism include "visible brush strokes, light colors, open compositions, emphasis on lights in its changing qualities, ordinary subject matter, and unusual visual angles" (New World Encyclopedia, 2009). The impressionist style is chiefly defined by "concentration on the general impression produced by a scene or object and the use of unmixed primary colors and small strokes to stimulate actual reflected light" (Pioch, 2006). These characteristics helped define this type of art and artwork that resulted from more artists like Claude Monet, Renoir, Degas and the like (New World Encyclopedia, 2009). Though, according to the Web Museum of Paris, the principal Impressionist painters, among them Claude Monet, "worked together, influenced each other" but, "exhibited independently" (Pioch, 2006). One of the principal painters, Claude Monet, is one of the most well-known impressionist…...
mlaBibliography
New World Encycopedia, (2009, January 19). Impressionism. Retrieved from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Impressionism .
Pham, P. (2010, May 31). An overview of impressionism. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?An-Overview-of-Impressionist-Paintings&id=4392859
Pioch, N. (2006, June 19). Web museum, paris. Retrieved from http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/glo/impressionism/
Wanczura, D. (2009, March). Claude monet biography. Retrieved from http://www.artelino.com/articles/claude_monet.asp
There was anger, bloodshed, hatefulness and anarchy.
All that turmoil turned out to be for naught, however, as the conservatives took control of the government by 1849, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of those who demanded change. The newly prosperous bourgeoisie (middle class) - along with the poor and the aristocracy - were experiencing "widespread distrust" and paranoia, according to Teach Impressionism. Add to this mix of explosive social conditions the Industrial Revolution, which placed a newfound sense of faith in the individual, and the individual's "unlimited potential." Along came romantic painters who began to get out of their studios and paint the landscape they saw; artists like Corot, Millet, and Rousseau, along with Gustave Courbet, went out and painted what they saw in the community of poverty and despair. These influences had an affect on the impressionists, who were to come later. The beliefs and styles of…...
mlaWorks Cited
Grun, Bernard. "The Timetables of History." New York: A Touchstone Book, 1963.
Merriam-Webster. "Impressionism" Retrieved March 3, 2008, at http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impressionism .
Teach Impressionism. "Radicalism of Impressionism: "Trees are Not Violet; the Sky is Not
Butter!" Retrieved March 3, 2008, at http://www.impressionism.org/teachimpress/browse/aboutimpress.htm .
Impressionism
Contrasting: Neoclassicism, Impressionism, and Abstract Expressionism
The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries by Jacques Louis David portrays a historical subject that the painter David greatly admired. Neoclassicism, as its name implies, revived many of the conventions of Greek and oman painting and sculpture, including an obsession with moral and physical ideals. Just as the Greeks and omans portrayed their gods and goddesses in stone, David lionizes the exalted Emperor in his work. David created his painting during a time of tremendous political turmoil, during the height of the Napoleonic reign. Napoleon is portrayed as a great man, a hero, poised in his study, at work on the great achievements characteristic of his reign.
David intended the portrait to be representative of the whole of Napoleon's character and career: "He [Napoleon] is in his study. . . . The candles flickering and the clock striking four remind him that…...
mlaReferences
Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), 1950. (2012). Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Retrieved:
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/57.92
The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries. (1812). National Gallery of Art. Retrieved:
Art
Impressionism was a radical departure from previous forms of painting. It is a style that in a sense was a response to the change in technology, the invention and growth of photography (Soltes, "From Realism to Impressionism"). Photographs offered incredible detail and perspective of the world outside the lens, this prompted artists to reimagine what the objectives of art should be. Artists wanted to record a moment, an impression, of a moment, focusing on how it is perceived, specifically through the use of colors. Soltes explains that Monet's Haystacks series is a study on how light and colors changes the object. The series looks at the same object at different times during different seasons, making not the haystacks the subject but light and color. The series allowed Monet to show the subtleties of perception as seasons, time, and weather changes. Haystacks at Sunset and Haystacks: End of Summer show how…...
mlaWorks Cited
"Search Collections." Grainstack (Sunset) -Claude Monet, French, 1840 -- "1926. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014. .
Soltes, Ori. "From Paris to the East." YouTube. YouTube, 11 Oct. 2011. Web. 26 Mar. 2014. .
Soltes, Ori. "From Realism to Impressionism." YouTube. YouTube, 11 Oct. 2011. Web. 26 Mar. 2014. .
Realism and Impressionism
Throughout history, art is used to talk about contemporary problems and views within society. As it is, a reflection of these values and the changes that is taking place. The revolution that occurred with realism and impressionism (during the Industrial Revolution), is just one sign of how this transformed the art world. To fully understand the way this took place requires comparing four works from the artists of: Monet, Renoir and Manet. Once this occurs, it will provide specific insights as to how their paintings are a reflection of the life and times of this era.
Monet
Claude Monet took a unique approach to his paintings. What happened was he concentrated on his subjects through what is known as the use of light and colors. This is when he would utilize various hues to make his painting have an element of emotional realism. Once this occurs, is the point that…...
mlaBibliography
Argenteuil. (2011). Claude Monet Gallery. Retrieved from: http://www.claudemonetgallery.org/Argenteuil -(Red-Boats).html
The Artists Family in the Garden. (2011). Claude Monet Gallery. Retrieved from: http://www.claudemonetgallery.org/The-Artists-Family-In-The-Garden.html
Battle of the Kearsarge.(2011). Edourad Manet. Retrieved from: http://www.manetedouard.org/Battle-of-the -'Kearsarge'-and-the-'Alabama'.html
The Boardwalk on the Beach. (2011). Claude Monet Gallery. Retrieved from: http://www.claudemonetgallery.org/The-Boardwalk-On-The-Beach-At-Trouville.html
. In the last novel [Last Post (1928)] Tietjens liberates himself from the outdated moral ideals and attempts to create a separate harmony with the world. Every part of the novel emphasizes on a single day, means that the ten years story of different behaviors is written in a manner of snap shooting. Such a style of telling a story is an open and unveiled move towards the modernist's literature. The modernism in the story, let the readers visualize the circumstances and the descriptions of physical and mental conditions of characters, the dramatization and sometimes the effort to show the reality of characters is making us believe that it's a real model of modernism. It is a valiant story provided us confidently, with no sarcasm and distrust; at the same time it strikes on us and breaks out before our eyes; and, forms a vigorous impression on our mind until…...
mlaBibliography
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/6422/rev0616.html
2. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/goodsoldier/section1.html
4. http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Article1264.html
5. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impressionism_ (literature)http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/pages/I/M/Impressionism.htm
Post Impressionism and Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was born in Albi, France on November 24, 1864 to an aristocratic family. After breaking both his legs in separate accidents, it was discovered he had an inherited bone disease, and his legs never grew to their full potential. He enjoyed art, and in 1885, he began to exhibit and published his own work. Toulouse-Lautrec's work was exhibited throughout Paris and included exhibitions at the Salon des Independents in Paris and Les XX in Brussels, Belgium. At the age of 36, he died of alcoholism and syphilis on Sept. 9, 1901.
The nightlife in Paris impressed Toulouse-Lautrec and he incorporated this lifestyle into his paintings. He was also exposed to the controversial new style that was developing: it was called impressionism. Toulouse-Lautrec was similarly intrigued by edouard Manet's open-air paintings and the work of Edgar Degas, especially his depictions of dancers, horse races,…...
mlaReferences
Friedman, Ann. "Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri de." World Book Online Reference Center. 2004. World Book, Inc. 25 Mar. 2004. http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar562500 .
Henri Toulouse-Lautrec." U*X*L Biographies. U*X*L, 2003. Reproduced in Student Resource Center. Detroit: Gale, 2004. Number: CD2108102277).http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/SRC .(Document
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec." DISCovering Biography. Online Edition. Gale, 2003. Reproduced in Student Resource Center. Detroit: Gale, 2004.
ealism, Impressionism, and Nineteenth-Century Photography
The Village Maidens
Artist
Gustave Courbet
Date the Piece was Created
Art Movement and/or Style Media
ealism / Oil Paint
Description and Analysis
This 1852 painting, which sparked the creation of a collection of pictures dedicated to women's lives, depicts the artist's three sisters -- Juliette, Zoe and Zelie -- taking a stroll along the Communal-- a little valley close to Ornans (their native village) (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2016). Despite nothing of significance being depicted in this painting, it tells a story. Courbet uses a dark and dull color tone and the overall painting is neither overly dark nor overly bright. The weather may be taken to be pleasant and warm, considering the clear sky Courbet portrays in the painting's background. His brush strokes and paint choice impart a realistic texture and tone to the picture. As no activity is shown in the backdrop, the first and most overt element a…...
mlaReferences
Galbreat, D. (2014, July 26). Style Guide. Retrieved March 12, 2016, from Prezi: https://prezi.com/oumm1aqj4lmq/style-guide/
Pioch, N. (2002, September 19). Monet, Claude: Image Bathing at La Grenouillere. Retrieved March 12, 2016, from https://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/monet/early/bathing/
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (2016). Young Ladies of the Village. Retrieved March 12, 2016, from The Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/40.175/
The National Gallery. (2016). Bathers at La Grenouillere. Retrieved March 2016, 2016, from The National Gallery: http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/claude-monet-bathers-at-la-grenouillere
The title of the painting comes from Latin and means "Man, heroic and sublime," going back, in fact, to an essay that the painter wrote, in which he asks "If we are living in a time without a legend that can be called sublime, how can we be creating sublime art?." This is, in part, his answer.
According to some interpretations, the thin lines are a show of admiration for the Italian artist Giacometti and they are a representation of the human individual in all his weaknesses and glory as well. However, it is also a geometrical representation which helps divide the painting and the red background into different segments. Apparently, there is no rule to that, however, one can notice that the segment that is thus created in the middle is a perfect square.
The strive for perfection and the ultimate symmetry is perhaps even more obvious in Robert Motherwell's…...
mlaBibliography
1. On the Internet at retrieved on July 22, 2008http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/2377958983/.Last
On the Internet at
Art
Impressionism in art developed in the 19th century. Impressionist paintings were characterized by visible brush strokes, and subject was drawn from ordinary life and outdoors, rather than being confined to still life, or portraits and landscapes drawn in studios. Emphasis was laid on the effect of light changing its qualities as well as movement. These characteristics of impression can be well observed in the works of art by Gustave Caillebotte, Edgar Degas and Edouard Manet in their paintings Paris: A ainy Day, The Absinthe Drinker and The Bar at the Folies Bergere respectively.
Paris: A ainy Day is an oil painting drawn in 1877 encompasses the Impressionist use of landscape scene. The curator of the Art Institute of Chicago was quoted describing the painting by Hedy Weiss in the Chicago Sun-Times (December 12, 1995) as "the great picture of urban life in the late 19th century." The masterpiece gives of view…...
mlaReferences:-
1. Gaustave Caillebotte, Paris Street: A Rainy Day, retrieved on July 9, 2012 from http://sites.google.com/site/beautyandterror/Home/bourgeoisie-and-proletariat
2. L' Absinthe-Degas, retrieved on July 9, 2012 from http://labsinthedegas.blogspot.com/
3. Edouard Manet, A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, retrieved on July 9, 2012 from http://sites.google.com/site/beautyandterror/Home/capitalism-and-the-death
Now that the camera took over the task of copying reality of the world, the artist was free to play with his inner senses, perception, interpretation and changing effects.
On the other hand the industrialization, rapidly growing of the art world, that brought new approaches to paint, an oil colors. The new technology offered the artists more vivid colors than the ones the former painters had to prepare by themselves in their own studios, and this opened a gate to play with a new palette of bright colors and hues.
The industrialization brought more consequences than just the new paints and materials available.
The past-paced society gave a new sense of speed to everything. It seemed like an artist had to be fast-paced as well to keep up with the crazy rhythm of the mechanical society they lived in.
Painting became fast paced -or at least it seems that way in the resulting…...
mlaReferences
Monan, Berence. (2006). Impressionism. Berlin: Broschiert Sprache.
Muller, Joseph-Emile. (1974). Impressionism. New York: Leon Amiel Publishers.
Pool, Phoebe. (1967). Impressionism in Europe. New York: Thames & Hudson.
Tinterow, Gary. (1994). Impressionism: Styles, Manner and Genres. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.
" In other words, this barmaid "is automatic and impersonal" and reflects the upper-class social nature of Paris with its drinkers and party-goers enjoying themselves immensely while the barmaid merely stares into oblivion as if bored to death with her surroundings and her life (Monan, 2006, 435).
In contrast to these two paintings by Manet, Edgar Degas' Ballet ehearsal (1876, oil on canvas) presents "the infinite variety of particular movements that make up continuous motion" via a group of ballerinas practicing their moves in a spacious studio somewhere in Paris. Obviously, the ballerinas in this painting are part of the upper classes. Artistically, Degas used several devices to bring the viewer into the pictorial space. First, the frame cuts off the spiral staircase, the windows in the background and the group of ballerinas in the right foreground. Second, the rapid diagonals of the bases of the walls and the floorboards "carry…...
mlaReferences
Monan, Berence. (2006). Impressionism. Berlin: Broschiert Sprache.
Muller, Joseph-Emile. (1974). Impressionism. New York: Leon Amiel Publishers.
Pool, Phoebe. (1967). Impressionism in Europe. New York: Thames & Hudson.
Tinterow, Gary. (1994). Impressionism: Styles, Manner and Genres. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.
I. Introduction
II. Body
I. Introduction
II. Key Artists and Styles
Realism in Art: Challenging Perceptions of Reality
Realism, an artistic movement that emerged in the mid-19th century, aimed to depict life as it was, without idealization or exaggeration. Realist artists strived to capture the mundane and everyday aspects of existence, presenting them with meticulous detail and objectivity. While realism sought to reflect reality, it also challenged and expanded our perceptions of it through several significant ways:
1. Unvarnished Depictions of Life:
Realism broke away from the idealized representations of the past, portraying life in its raw and unvarnished form. Artists depicted poverty, social inequality, and human suffering without embellishment. These works confronted viewers....
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now