MODERNISM 4

• Some definitions

• CEZANNE

• Romanticism’s not dead: just ask the Symbolists

Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893

What is the avant-garde?• Basically, “the front-runners”…the first ones to

take up a new idea or approach. Used especially with regard to Modernist Art, which is characterised by a series of movements, (or ‘isms’.)

Talking of the military…what is the Canon of Western Art?

Impressionism…a review• Described everyday life, esp. of

bourgeoisie (middle class);• Rejection of Academy’s

stranglehold on ‘what is art’.• Move away from Neoclassical

approach (emphasis on drawing, especially from antique artworks; emphasis on history subjects; careful modelling of the form; idealisation of the form.)

• Interest in capturing effects of light; plein aire work. A realistic, or naturalistic approach rather than the drama of Romantic ideas.

Pissarro, Barges at Pontoise, 1876

• Impressionists were (generally) keen to throw out the idea of pre-planning an artwork and crafting it finely towards an end. Rather, they were keen to respond in an authentic manner to what they saw.

• (Remember the idea of truth; authenticity; originality are all ideas of Modernity.)

• The Academy style consisted of working in layers of transparent colour over an opaque base which provided tonal variation. The Impressionists painted directly with opaque colour onto the canvas.

Post-impressionism – Paul CezanneMore a description of a location in time (after the Impressionists) more than a group of likeminded artists. Four key players, all different: Cezanne; Van Gogh; Seurat; Gauguin. • 1880s-1890s

Cezanne, Still life with Ginger Jars and Eggplants, 1893.

CEZANNE (French, 1839-1906)Started with Impressionists & exhibited with them. However he wanted more ‘structure’ in his work. He felt the Impressionists had lost something.He used colour to create structure, rather than emphasizing darks and lights. It was a different way of looking at the world. His work often has a generalised light, rather than light coming from one direction. His figuresdon’t have the same appearanceof careful modelling as Neoclassical works.

Cezanne, still life with apples and pot of primroses, 1890

Modernism changed the conceptual framework

Modernism was a time of change in the relationship between artist and the world, with the Impressionists challenging the power of the Academy.It was also a time of change between artist and artwork itself. What artists were actually describing in their art was changing.

Cezanne, Self portrait with rose background, 1875

Cezanne was not really interested in creating the ‘window on the world’ that linear perspective provided for the viewer. “…Cezanne did not aim at creating an illusion. He wanted rather to convey the feeling of solidity and depth…” (Gombrich,1972:433)

Rather then the careful, progressive modelling of light to dark of Academy painting, his shadows tend to have their own shape and place in the picture. They formed part of the design of the painting.

Cezanne, The card players, 1890-92

That fruit bowl is distorted…the apples aren’t apple shaped…oh dear. We’ve hit Modernism.

Cezanne was interested in being true to nature, but he made a priority of creating an interesting artwork.

Cezanne, fruitbowl, glass and apples 1889-92

Note the patches of colour he creates in his work. These are important precursors to Cubism, and influenced Picasso and Braque greatly.

Cezanne, Mt St-Victoire and viaduct of Arc valley, 1882-1885

CEZANNE, SOUS BOIS, 1894

Where did Romanticism go? Enter the Symbolists…

Review of Romantic ideas….• Emphasis on emotion; drama; imagination. • Power of nature;• Subjectivity and individuality of the artist;• Importance of feeling over objective truth and fact.

Fernand Khnopff, The sphinx, 1896

SYMBOLISM

WHEN:1890sWHO: Broader than Impressionism. Europe + USA, including Paul Gauguin; Odilon Redon; Fernand Khnopff; Max Klinger; Edvard Munch; albert Pinkham Ryder; Jan Toorop.

Toorop, O Grave where is thy victory,Chalk and pencil on paper 1894

Many Modernist movements inherited or developed the ideas of Romanticism in some way. Symbolism was interested in dreams and fantasies; it got right away from reality although could be said to be exploring ‘inner realities’. It had an emphasis on our personal, inner worlds.

Gauguin, Where are we going? What are we? Where are we going? 1897

YOU MUST DO SOME ART CRITICAL WRITING HERE. MUSTMUSTMUST

Reference ListGombrich, E.H. The Story of Art. 12th ed. London: 1972, Phaidon Press Ltd.

Other resources:

Gardner, Helen: Gardner’s art through the ages. 6th ed. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc, 1975.

Metropolitan Museum of Art Heilbrunn Timeline Essay Cezanne: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/61.101.4