Impressionism and Impressionism and Heart of DarknessHeart of Darkness

HendersonHenderson

““Impressionism” coined in 1874 by a Impressionism” coined in 1874 by a journalist, Louis Leroy, in an attempt journalist, Louis Leroy, in an attempt to ridicule Monet’s to ridicule Monet’s Impression: Impression: SunriseSunrise and other poems on display and other poems on display in the Paris Salon.in the Paris Salon.

““They are Impressionists in the sense They are Impressionists in the sense that they reproduce not the that they reproduce not the landscape but the sensory landscape but the sensory perceptions it evokes.”perceptions it evokes.”

When viewing this painting, how do When viewing this painting, how do you feel? What draws your eye?you feel? What draws your eye?

Monet, Haystacks

Patterns and themesPatterns and themes

Landscapes and cityscapesLandscapes and cityscapes Focus on haze, mist, effects of lightFocus on haze, mist, effects of light Shimmering light, airShimmering light, air Portrayal of everyday modern life: Portrayal of everyday modern life:

ballet, cafes, leisure activities on the ballet, cafes, leisure activities on the banks of the Seinebanks of the Seine

Look for said patterns here:Look for said patterns here:

Renoir, The Canoeists’ Luncheon

……and here:and here:

Monet, Westminster on the Thames

- In impressionism, the paintings In impressionism, the paintings seldom tell stories (as opposed to seldom tell stories (as opposed to more traditional schools in which a more traditional schools in which a definitive narrative was captured definitive narrative was captured within the painting)within the painting)

- Instead, they capture moments, Instead, they capture moments, impressionsimpressions

Changing the narrativeChanging the narrative

Compare:Compare:

David, Andromache Mourning Hector

Renoir, Moulin de la Galette

““When the emphasis is on the When the emphasis is on the individual’s own perception and the individual’s own perception and the object is to depict what the eye sees object is to depict what the eye sees rather than what the head knows, rather than what the head knows, everything suddenly becomes worthy everything suddenly becomes worthy of being the subject of a work of art – of being the subject of a work of art – clouds of smoke in a station, a clouds of smoke in a station, a garden flooded with light, boating on garden flooded with light, boating on the River Seine, a boulevard full of the River Seine, a boulevard full of people, or a snow-covered field.”people, or a snow-covered field.”

What is the subject of this painting? What is the subject of this painting? What draws your eye? What draws your eye?

Monet, La Gare Saint-Lazare

““For the passionate observer, it is For the passionate observer, it is an enormous pleasure to dwell an enormous pleasure to dwell among the masses, in the ebb among the masses, in the ebb and flow, in the movement, in and flow, in the movement, in

the fleeting and infinite.”the fleeting and infinite.”

~ Charles Baudelaire~ Charles Baudelaire

““Nature is always the Nature is always the same, but of its visible same, but of its visible appearance nothing appearance nothing remains constant. Our remains constant. Our art must give it the art must give it the sublime attribute of sublime attribute of permanence, along permanence, along with the elements and with the elements and appearance of all its appearance of all its changes. Art must changes. Art must give it eternity in our give it eternity in our imagination. What is imagination. What is behind Nature? behind Nature? Nothing, perhaps. Nothing, perhaps. Perhaps everything.Perhaps everything.

~ Paul Cezanne~ Paul Cezanne

Anecdotal quotesAnecdotal quotes

Manet to Monet: Monet, you’re a Manet to Monet: Monet, you’re a friend of Renoir’s. Why don’t you friend of Renoir’s. Why don’t you advise him to take up a different advise him to take up a different career? You can see for yourself that career? You can see for yourself that he’s not cut out for painting.he’s not cut out for painting.

Monet, on his critics: “Poor blind Monet, on his critics: “Poor blind idiots. They want to see everything idiots. They want to see everything clearly, even through the fog!”clearly, even through the fog!”

Anecdotal quotesAnecdotal quotes

Manet: Are you working on anything Manet: Are you working on anything for the salon exhibition?for the salon exhibition?

Cezanne: Yes, a pot of shit.Cezanne: Yes, a pot of shit.

So…So…

How do the How do the principles of principles of Impressionism Impressionism transfer into transfer into literature?literature?

In one way or another, all In one way or another, all Impressionists made it their aim to Impressionists made it their aim to give a pictorial equivalent of the give a pictorial equivalent of the visual sensations of a particular visual sensations of a particular individual at a particular time and individual at a particular time and place. ~ Ian Wattplace. ~ Ian Watt

Conrad: art depends, for its success, Conrad: art depends, for its success, on an impression conveyed through on an impression conveyed through the sensesthe senses

Stylistic/narrative elements in HoD:Stylistic/narrative elements in HoD:

1.1. Duplication of narrators: places Duplication of narrators: places emphasis on perception; makes you emphasis on perception; makes you look through a glass, darklylook through a glass, darkly

2.2. Symbolist: the symbols in HoD Symbolist: the symbols in HoD change both in scale and meaningchange both in scale and meaning

3.3. Impressionist: still lots to say about Impressionist: still lots to say about this part…this part…

More elements in HoD:More elements in HoD:

Frequent use of mist or hazeFrequent use of mist or haze Primary narrator warns us that Marlow’s Primary narrator warns us that Marlow’s

tale will not be centered on, but tale will not be centered on, but surrounded by its meaning.surrounded by its meaning.

One inherent argument in impressionism One inherent argument in impressionism is that is that individual sensation is the only individual sensation is the only reliable source of ascertainable truthreliable source of ascertainable truth..

Conrad employs SUBJECTIVE MORAL Conrad employs SUBJECTIVE MORAL IMPRESSIONISM.IMPRESSIONISM.

Navigating through the “fog”Navigating through the “fog”

HoD embodies uncertainty and HoD embodies uncertainty and doubt.doubt.

It is an exploration of what men It is an exploration of what men cannot know.cannot know.

Reality is essentially private and Reality is essentially private and individual.individual.

Another way of seeing: the fog does Another way of seeing: the fog does not obstruct the subject or the not obstruct the subject or the meaning; it is an intrinsic part OF the meaning; it is an intrinsic part OF the meaning!meaning!

Delayed DecodingDelayed Decoding

Combines the forward temporal Combines the forward temporal progression of the mind, as it progression of the mind, as it receives messages from the outside receives messages from the outside world, with the much slower reflexive world, with the much slower reflexive process of making out their meaning.process of making out their meaning.

Ummm, in English, please?...Ummm, in English, please?...

Delayed DecodingDelayed Decoding

Conrad presents a sense impression Conrad presents a sense impression but withholds naming it or explaining but withholds naming it or explaining its meaning until later; as readers we its meaning until later; as readers we witness every step by which the gap witness every step by which the gap between the individual perception between the individual perception and its cause is belatedly closed and its cause is belatedly closed within the consciousness of the within the consciousness of the protagonist. (knobs protagonist. (knobs heads) heads)

Relationship b/w impressionism Relationship b/w impressionism and narrativeand narrative

Virginia Woolf: “Life is not a series of gig Virginia Woolf: “Life is not a series of gig lamps symmetrically arranged; life is a lamps symmetrically arranged; life is a luminous halo, a semi-transparent luminous halo, a semi-transparent envelope surrounding us from the envelope surrounding us from the beginning of consciousness to the end.”beginning of consciousness to the end.”

““The essence of the action is a process of The essence of the action is a process of expanded moral awareness.” ~ Wattexpanded moral awareness.” ~ Watt

Be sensitive to the metaphorical Be sensitive to the metaphorical implications of light and darkness in the implications of light and darkness in the novella!novella!

That’s all, folks.That’s all, folks.