Before we can study Post-impressionism we must look at and understand impressionism
Impressionism
- Impressionism began developing in Paris in the 1860s
- The Impressionists loosened their brushwork and lightened their palettes to include pure, intense colors.
- Impressionists aimed to capture the momentary, sensory effect of a scene - the impression objects made on the eye in a fleeting instant. To achieve this effect, many Impressionist artists moved from the studio to the streets and countryside, painting en plein air.
- Impressionism was a style of representational art that did not necessarily rely on realistic depictions.
- Scientific thought at the time was beginning to recognize that what the eye perceived and what the brain understood were two different things. The Impressionists sought to capture the former - the optical effects of light - to convey the passage of time, changes in weather, and other shifts in the atmosphere in their canvases.
now that we've identified the key ideas and features of impressionism, we can learn about
post-impressionism
Started: Early 1880's Ended: 1914
meet some of the artists...
Key ideas
- Similar to Impressionism, Post-Impressionism was a style of representational art that did not necessarily rely on realistic depictions. Rejecting interest in depicting the observed world, they instead looked to their memories and emotions in order to connect with the viewer on a deeper level.
- Symbolic and highly personal meanings were particularly important to Post-Impressionists such as Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh.
- Despite the various individualized styles, most Post-Impressionists focused on abstract form and pattern in the application of paint to the surface of the canvas.
Vincent Van Gogh, Green Wheat Fields, Auvers
Seurat's Sunday Afternoon is perhaps the most famous example of the painting technique known as Pointillism. Seurat composed the entire scene from a series of small, precise dots of color. Seurat applied color theory to put totally different colors side by side, intending to intensify the colors and have your eyes combine them to perceive an entirely different color. Closer look: Detail from Seurat’s other painting La Parade, not exactly “dots” but short, flat brush strokes. The darkest parts of his hair is composed of shades as varied as light pink, light blue, and dark green.
How post-impressionism influenced art
- Most Post-Impressionists focused on the surface of the canvas and applied paint in a way that created texture; this resulted in an abstracted representation. Their early leanings toward abstraction paved the way for the radical modernist exploration of abstraction that took place in the early twentieth century.
- Critics grouped the various styles within Post-Impressionism into two general, opposing stylistic trends - on one side was the structured, or geometric style that was the precursor to Cubism, while on the other side was the expressive, or non-geometric art that led to Abstract Expressionism.
Directions:
(Complete on digital worksheet with your assigned partner & turn in to "work to be graded" folder)
Examine the famous works of art created by Post-Impressionist painters below (Left column) and compare to the artwork created in an art movement that followed it and was inspired by the style (Right column).
What are some similarities between the two?
Examine the famous works of art created by Post-Impressionist painters below (Left column) and compare to the artwork created in an art movement that followed it and was inspired by the style (Right column).
What are some similarities between the two?
Some things to look at:
- Paint Application: Thick vs thin or smooth vs textured
- How have the artists' used the elements of design? (Line, shape, color, value, texture, space and perspective)
- Line and shape: Organic vs geometric, filled with lines or shapes?
- Color: Is there similar use of color? Bright, bold, neutral or dull?
- How have the artists' used the Principles of design? (Balance, proportion, rhythm/movement, emphasis, harmony/unity, variety and contrast?
- How have the artists' artist created a painting that feels unified and harmonious?
- How have the artists' created emphasis (focal point)?
- Have the artists’ used similar techniques to get your eyes moving around the painting?
Despite having sold just one painting during his lifetime
Vincent Van Gogh
is one of the most beloved artists of all time
Van Gogh's liberal use of color as an emotional instrument added to the repertoire of 20th century art. His emphasis on textured brushwork became a key influence in the development of both the Fauves' and the Expressionists’ painting technique.
Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889, oil on canvas
The life of van gogh
![Picture](/uploads/1/1/1/1/11113387/9419768.png?250)
During his lifetime Van Gogh was never famous as a painter and struggled to make a living as an artist. Van Gogh only sold one painting during his lifetime, The Red Vineyard. This painting sold in Brussels for 400 Francs only a few months before his death.
Since his death, he has become one of the most famous painters in the world.
Since his death, he has become one of the most famous painters in the world.
![Picture](/uploads/1/1/1/1/11113387/8434500.jpg?211)
On 15 May 1990 The Portrait of Doctor Gachet was sold within three minutes for $82.5 million (U.S.) to Ryoei Saito, Japan's second-largest paper manufacturer.
http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/
http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/
unfortunately Van gogh did not live to see his success...
Would if we could show van gogh how beloved & inspirational his artwork became?
van gogh Research/Partner activity:
- I will assign partners and give your team a topic card. On your card will be a topic related to Van Gogh.
- You will have approximately 10-15 minutes to find as much information as possible.
- Decide what information is most relevant to your topic; you will share with the class.
- Share the major bullet points of information as well as interesting facts essential to Van Gogh's life.
Some websites that might be helpful:
http://www.theartstory.org/artist-van-gogh-vincent.htm
http://www.theartstory.org/movement-post-impressionism.htm_
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh_
Google your topic and see what you can find!