🥁Intro to Art Unit 7 – Impressionism and Post–Impressionism

Key Artists and Their Works

• Claude Monet painted iconic Impressionist works such as "Impression, Sunrise" (1872) and his series of "Haystacks" (1890-1891) and "Water Lilies" (1896-1926)
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir known for his luminous color palette and depictions of leisure in works like "Luncheon of the Boating Party" (1880-1881)
• Edgar Degas captured movement and modern life in paintings and sculptures such as "The Dance Class" (1873-1876) and "Little Dancer Aged Fourteen" (1880-1881)
• Camille Pissarro explored rural and urban landscapes in works like "The Boulevard Montmartre at Night" (1897)
  • Also mentored younger artists including Paul Cézanne and Paul Gauguin
• Alfred Sisley painted landscapes that emphasized the effects of light and atmosphere, as seen in "The Bridge at Villeneuve-la-Garenne" (1872)
• Berthe Morisot, one of the few prominent female Impressionists, portrayed domestic scenes and gardens in paintings such as "The Cradle" (1872)
• Paul Cézanne, a Post-Impressionist, developed a distinctive style with geometric forms and structured compositions, evident in "Mont Sainte-Victoire" series (1902-1906)
• Vincent van Gogh, another key Post-Impressionist, known for expressive brushwork and vivid colors in works like "The Starry Night" (1889) and "Sunflowers" series (1888-1889)

Historical Context and Origins

• Emerged in Paris in the 1860s and 1870s as a reaction against the strict rules of academic art
• Influenced by the rise of photography, which challenged traditional notions of representation
• Reflected the rapid modernization and changing social dynamics of the time, such as the growth of the middle class and leisure activities
• Preceded by the Barbizon School, which emphasized painting outdoors and capturing natural light
• Officially established with the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874, organized by a group of artists who had been rejected by the Paris Salon
  • Exhibition included works by Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, and Sisley, among others
• Term "Impressionism" derived from Monet's painting "Impression, Sunrise" (1872), initially used pejoratively by critics
• Post-Impressionism developed in the 1880s and 1890s, as artists like Cézanne, van Gogh, and Gauguin pushed the boundaries of Impressionism

Artistic Techniques and Styles

• Emphasized capturing the fleeting effects of light, color, and atmosphere
• Painted en plein air (outdoors) to directly observe and record the changing qualities of natural light
• Used visible brushstrokes and a lighter, brighter color palette to convey the immediacy of their perceptions
• Employed broken color and complementary colors to create vibrant, shimmering effects
• Abandoned traditional linear perspective and detailed rendering in favor of more spontaneous, expressive techniques
• Post-Impressionists extended these innovations while developing more personal, expressive styles
  • Cézanne used geometric forms and multiple viewpoints to create structured, almost abstract compositions
  • Van Gogh employed expressive, rhythmic brushstrokes and intense, emotive colors
• Gauguin and the Synthetists used flat, simplified forms and arbitrary colors to evoke emotion and symbolism

Themes and Subject Matter

• Focused on modern, everyday life and leisure activities, reflecting the changing social landscape of the time
• Depicted scenes of urban and suburban life, such as cafes, theaters, parks, and boulevards (Renoir's "Moulin de la Galette", 1876)
• Captured the effects of industrialization and modernization, including railways and factories (Monet's "The Saint-Lazare Station", 1877)
• Portrayed the natural world, particularly landscapes, seascapes, and gardens, emphasizing the changing effects of light and atmosphere (Monet's "Poplars" series, 1891)
• Explored the human figure in informal, candid poses, often in outdoor settings or engaged in leisure activities (Renoir's "The Swing", 1876)
• Post-Impressionists expanded on these themes while also exploring more personal, psychological, and symbolic content
  • Van Gogh's landscapes and still lifes conveyed his inner turmoil and spiritual yearning
  • Gauguin's scenes of Tahitian life evoked a primitive, uncorrupted existence

Impact on Art History

• Challenged the traditional hierarchy of genres and subjects in art, elevating everyday life and landscape to the status of history painting
• Rejected the strict rules and conventions of academic art, paving the way for greater artistic freedom and experimentation
• Influenced the development of modern art movements, including Fauvism, Expressionism, and Cubism
  • Cézanne's geometric compositions and multiple viewpoints inspired the Cubists
  • Van Gogh's expressive brushwork and intense colors influenced the Fauves and Expressionists
• Contributed to the rise of art dealers and galleries as an alternative to the official Salon system
• Helped to establish France, and particularly Paris, as the center of the Western art world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
• Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works are now among the most popular and valuable in the art market

Notable Exhibitions and Collections

• First Impressionist exhibition (1874) marked the official debut of the movement, featuring works by Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, and others
• Subsequent Impressionist exhibitions held from 1876 to 1886, showcasing the evolving styles and themes of the artists
• Post-Impressionist works were exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants and Salon d'Automne in Paris in the late 1880s and 1890s
• Major retrospectives of individual artists, such as Monet (1880, 1889) and Cézanne (1895, 1907), helped to establish their reputations
• Important collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art can be found at museums such as:
  • Musée d'Orsay, Paris
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
  • National Gallery, London
  • Art Institute of Chicago
• Private collections, such as those of Dr. Paul Gachet and Sergei Shchukin, played a significant role in supporting and promoting these artists

Influence on Modern Art Movements

• Paved the way for the development of abstract art by emphasizing the formal elements of painting (color, brushwork, composition) over realistic representation
• Inspired the Fauves, who extended the Impressionists' use of bright, expressive color and loose brushwork (Henri Matisse, André Derain)
• Influenced the Expressionists, who sought to convey inner emotions and psychological states through distorted forms and intense colors (Edvard Munch, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner)
• Cézanne's geometric compositions and multiple viewpoints directly inspired the Cubists, who fragmented and reconstructed forms on the canvas (Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque)
• Gauguin's emphasis on flat, decorative patterns and arbitrary color influenced the Symbolists and Nabis (Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard)
• Impressionist and Post-Impressionist techniques and themes can be seen in the work of countless later artists, from the German Expressionists to the Abstract Expressionists and beyond

Critical Reception and Legacy

• Initially met with hostility and ridicule from critics and the public, who found their works unfinished, crude, and even scandalous
  • Critic Louis Leroy coined the term "Impressionism" in a satirical review of the 1874 exhibition
• Gradually gained acceptance and appreciation as their works entered public collections and influential critics championed their cause
  • Writer Émile Zola defended the Impressionists in his novel "L'Œuvre" (1886) and his art criticism
• By the early 20th century, Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works were widely collected and exhibited internationally
• Today, these artists are celebrated as pioneers of modern art, and their works are among the most recognizable and beloved in the world
  • Monet's "Impression, Sunrise" (1872) and van Gogh's "The Starry Night" (1889) are iconic images of art history
• Impressionism and Post-Impressionism continue to influence artists, designers, and popular culture, from fashion and advertising to film and music
• The legacy of these movements lies in their emphasis on individual expression, innovation, and the beauty of the everyday world, which continue to inspire and resonate with audiences today