Romantic Era- Impressionism to Post Impressionism

The 1800s were referred to as the Romantic Era, but there were so many styles of art being produced during this era; it was somewhat overwhelming to focus in and decide what to discuss for this assignment. Some of the art produced during this era is called Romantic, Realism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Naturalist and Nationalist. There was so much going on in the world from politics to science growing, transportation, and so much more that all added to the large growth of art and new styles. All of these styles were really interesting and eye catching but I choose to compare Impressionism to Post Impressionism. 

Impressionism

Impressionism created some waves as the group of artists were among the first to not wait for their art to be accepted by the salon, which was a big deal back then. The artist we know today as Impressionists couldn't afford to wait for France, the salon, to accept their work. The artists pooled their money, rented a studio and set a date for their own exhibition. Together they ended up holding eight exhibitons from 1874 to 1886. Other parts that made waves for the Impressionism artists was the way the worked, painted. Impressionism art was known for transitory effects of light and weather, sketchy lines, loose brush strokes, dabs of color, and beyond that it was new subjects. The art focused more on pleasant moments, compared to up until this point most art was about religion, and history. 

 Claude Monet, 'Impression, Sunrise' painted in 1872

This painting captured my eye as I was reviewing for this assignment. It is stunning and a great example of impressionist art. Claude Monet became known as the Father of Impressionism, which was originally meant as an insult. The way it is most commonly recognized as Impressionism within this painting is the loose brushstrokes and bright colors. This piece was created from a scene of the Port of Le Harve. Monet painted this piece as a part of his series of landscapes and water. The display of the light, lines and color drew me in immediately. I love water paintings like the ocean, lakes, rivers. What next grabbed my attention is the silhouette of the boat and people within the center. Monet does a wonderful job conveying light, through color; it fascinates me.  Another part of this piece that highlights Impressionism is the brushstrokes, or lack of perfection in that area. Like the other artists I write about below, this piece is different than some of his previous works, yet it is thought to be the beginning of Impressionism. I really love this piece, and though it isn't a part of the assignment, I would definitely have this in my home. 

Charles Francois Daubigny, 'Apple Blossoms' painted 1873

As I was searching for another Impression piece to analyze, I found myself reading about Charles Daubigny and immediately was drawn to this piece. In comparison to the way it displayed on the site I saw, the quality is less here on blogger. Charles Daubigny studied Dutch landscapes at Louvre and trained with painters at the French Academy. In the new wave of Impressionists, they were doing things new and Daubigny was no different. He would sketch outside and paint inside, and later to go on and paint outside in nature. Like other Impressionists, he used colors to capture light in this new way. Daubigny was popular in hsi day but his works were later overshadowed by the creations of those he mentored or inspired, as they often painted in more vivid colors. (Hart) Daubigny intentions weren't specifically outlined anywhere but I believe like other Impressionists, his intentions were the same. To share art and moments he loved, and to paint without the rigid rules of art as it was known before.The exact location of this painting isn't clear, but like other Impressionist work, the color and transition of light and dark within this image stand out to be. It is also beautiful, realistic while also seeming imperfect. Light and loose brushstrokes while being life like. I look at this image and can almost feel the scene, the sunshining perfectly onto the Apple Blossoms, while the breeze blows. It is captivating and simple, lovely and pleasant, classic impressionist.

Post Impressionism

The main difference between Impressionism art and Post Impression art was it explored more personal interpretation, more structured than Impressionism. The other element and this, I'd say is the most recognized difference is the way the artist painted with Post Impression art, the color and shape are recognized for their psychological impact. 

Vincent Van Gogh, 'Starry Night' painted in 1889

This painting is probably the most well-known and recognized painting. What captures my eye the most is the also a piece that is often distinguishes Post-Impressionist work, the bold colors that made a true psychological image. Van Gogh created this image while looking out his east-facing window within his asylum room at Saint-Remy-De-Provence. With that I imagine he was in his own psychological place. Yet, this piece truly is captivating. Staring at it long enough the sky can feel like it is swirling and moving, dancing in the night. The moment was supposed to be just before sunrise, but with his addition of an imaginary village. With this painting there is a large combination of circular, diagonal, vertical and horizontal lines. The way he combines all of it, color, lines, and light help portray the emotion and feelings within the artist. Its clear, without knowing his mental health background, that art was a way to display his emotion. I feel joy in the darkness, wonder and awe. The painting draws me to the light, yet in the same moment I know parts are stuck in the darkness. Simply beautiful piece. 

Paul Cezanne, 'View of Auvers sur Oise' 1873-1875

View of the Auvers sur Oise is an oil painting created between 1873-1875 by French artist Paul Cezanne. When Cezanne was living with friends in this town, though the exact location of the inspiration of this painting isn't determined. Cezanne was considered to be the Father of Modern art by some ("Paul Cézanne: Father Of Modern Art - Emptyeasel.Com"). Simply looking at this image compared to some Impression work, it is more orderly and structured. Yet unbalanced if you look at the houses and trees. Cezanne also uses subtle changes of color rather than relying on shadows and lighting, though this may be more from technique of washing his brush everytime. As I mentioned above, what really started to separate these artists was not what they painted, but the way in which they painted. Cezanne washed his brush between each stroke, to make it very distinct. This image is darker in color, and value. The lines are more defined compared to Impressionism. To me, the image lacks emotion and is more thoughtfully painted to, I'd imagine, preserve a memory Cezanne has of a place he lived before. Personally this image is beautiful but doesn't captive me the way many other pieces do, though I believe this would be considered from when Cezanne really found his preferred style of painting, as his earlier work was darker. 

He wasn't exclusively a Post Impressionism artist, rather he painted in every genre but he specifically did not want to paint like an Impressionist. Ultimately Cezanne found a balance between not wanting to be chaotic like Impressionism, and not classically structured like the Renaissance. I'd say thats how we ended with images like this, bold and lifelike colors like the Impressionists, but was willing to sacrifice some inaccurate depictions of reality, if it benefited the painting.

References

https://robinurton.com/history/impressionism.htm.

"Paul Cézanne: Father Of Modern Art - Emptyeasel.Com". Emptyeasel.Com, 2022, https://emptyeasel.com/2007/02/27/paul-cezanne-father-of-modern-art/.

Gersh-Nesic, Beth. "A Beginner's Guide To Impressionism (Article) | Khan Academy". Khan Academy, https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/avant-garde-france/impressionism/a/a-beginners-guide-to-impressionism.

Hart, Victoria. "Charles François Daubigny: The Forgotten Impressionist". Culture Trip, 2016, https://theculturetrip.com/europe/france/articles/charles-francois-daubigny-the-forgotten-impressionist/.

"Post-Impressionism Movement Overview". The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/movement/post-impressionism/.