Post-impressionism

Definition

Post-impressionism is an art movement that emerged in the late 19th century as a reaction to Impressionism, characterized by a focus on more expressive use of color, form, and personal symbolism. Artists sought to go beyond the fleeting impressions of light and color that defined Impressionism, instead emphasizing their own emotional responses and individual perspectives. This movement laid the groundwork for various modern art movements and demonstrated the importance of subjective experience in art.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Post-impressionism is not a single style but rather a diverse range of approaches and techniques employed by different artists, including Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, and Georges Seurat.
2. Unlike Impressionists, who focused on capturing the momentary effects of light, post-impressionists often used color and form to convey deeper emotional meanings and personal visions.
3. The movement introduced innovative techniques such as pointillism, where small dots of color are applied in patterns to form an image, as seen in Seurat's works.
4. Post-impressionism set the stage for later developments in modern art, influencing movements like Cubism and Expressionism with its emphasis on abstraction and individual perspective.
5. While initially met with criticism for its departure from realism, post-impressionism has since been recognized for its transformative impact on the art world and its role in shaping contemporary artistic expression.

Review Questions

• How did post-impressionist artists differentiate their work from that of the Impressionists?
  • Post-impressionist artists distinguished their work from Impressionists by focusing on expressing deeper emotional experiences rather than simply capturing light and momentary impressions. They employed bold colors, unique brushstrokes, and symbolic content to convey their personal visions. While Impressionists aimed to depict the natural world in a spontaneous manner, post-impressionists sought to explore abstract concepts and individual expression.
• Discuss how the techniques developed during post-impressionism contributed to later art movements such as Cubism or Expressionism.
  • The techniques developed during post-impressionism significantly influenced later art movements by pushing the boundaries of representation and encouraging abstraction. Artists like Paul Cézanne paved the way for Cubism by breaking down objects into geometric shapes and emphasizing structural composition. Meanwhile, the emotional intensity found in post-impressionist works inspired Expressionist artists to prioritize subjective experience over realistic portrayal, leading to a greater exploration of color and form in expressing feelings.
• Evaluate the lasting impact of post-impressionism on contemporary art practices and how it redefined artistic expression.
  • The lasting impact of post-impressionism on contemporary art practices is profound, as it redefined artistic expression by emphasizing individuality and emotional depth. This shift allowed for a broader range of styles and approaches in modern art, fostering experimentation with color, form, and abstraction. Post-impressionism's legacy is evident in today's diverse artistic landscape, where artists continue to draw upon personal experiences and subjective interpretations, showcasing how this movement fundamentally changed the way art is created and understood.

Related terms

Impressionism:

An art movement that originated in the late 19th century focused on capturing light and its changing qualities, often through loose brushwork and an emphasis on everyday subject matter.

Symbolism: An artistic movement that sought to express emotions and ideas through symbolic imagery, often with an emphasis on dreams, mythology, and the unconscious.

Fauvism: An early 20th-century art movement characterized by bold colors and painterly qualities, which can be seen as a continuation of the exploration of color initiated by post-impressionist artists.