Impressionism Unit 1 – Section

2

Impact of Japanese Prints inImpact of Japanese Prints inEurope & AmericaEurope & America

Japanese, European & American artists Japanese, European & American artists became interested in each other’s art became interested in each other’s art in the late 19in the late 19thth & early 20 & early 20thth century. century.

Japanese art was introduced to the U. Japanese art was introduced to the U. S. in 1876 at the Centennial Exposition S. in 1876 at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.in Philadelphia.

JaponismeJaponisme:: the interest in & imitation of Japanese art the interest in & imitation of Japanese art

& culture, spread as artwork was imported & culture, spread as artwork was imported to Europe & Americato Europe & America

Impact on Major Artists & Impact on Major Artists & Movements in Europe & U.S.Movements in Europe & U.S.

Impressionists Eduoard Manet

People, usually outdoors Claude Monet

Landscapes, especially ponds & water lilies Edgar Degas

Ballerinas Mary Cassatt

Mother/child paintingsMother/child paintings collected works by Hokusai & Hiroshige collected works by Hokusai & Hiroshige

Music in the Tuileries GardensMusic in the Tuileries Gardens by Eduoard by Eduoard ManetManet

Luncheon on the Grass, Manet

Olympia, Manet

Weeping Willow, Claude Monet

Water Lily Pond & Weeping Willow,

Claude Monet

Poplars Poplars (in (in

autumn),autumn),Claude MonetClaude Monet

Ballerina Posing Ballerina Posing for a Photographfor a Photograph, ,

Edgar DegasEdgar Degas

The Dance Class, Edgar Degas

Stage Rehearsal, Degas

Breakfast in Bed, Mary Cassatt

Young MotherYoung Mother, , byby

Mary CassattMary Cassatt

The BathThe Bath, , Mary Cassatt, Mary Cassatt,

18911891

Post-ImpressionistsPost-Impressionists

Vincent Van Gogh painted oil copies of prints by Hiroshigepainted oil copies of prints by Hiroshige the Aesthetic Movement in England & U.S.the Aesthetic Movement in England & U.S.

James Whistler James Whistler American born, raised in EnglandAmerican born, raised in England a major force behind a major force behind japonismejaponisme; & ; & the Arts & Crafts Movementthe Arts & Crafts Movement

SunflowersSunflowers,,

Van GoghVan Gogh

Whistler’s Mother, James Whistler

American ImpressionistsAmerican Impressionists

Traveled in Europe & studied French Traveled in Europe & studied French Impressionist art. Artists include: Impressionist art. Artists include:

William Merritt Chase

Theodore Robinson

John Twachtman, &

Childe Hassam

Idle Hours, Chase William Merritt

Milkmaid,

Theodore Robinson

Summer, John Twachtman

Washington Arch,

Childe Hassam

About ImpressionismAbout Impressionism““Trees are Not Violet; The Sky is Not Trees are Not Violet; The Sky is Not

Butter!”Butter!”• Until the 1860s, Until the 1860s,

European painters often European painters often painted idealized people painted idealized people & events from:& events from:• the Bible, the Bible, • mythology, mythology, • or history. or history.

• In contrast, In contrast, Impressionist Impressionist paintings paintings often often depicted depicted ordinary ordinary situations.situations.

A critic coined the label “Impressionist.” A critic coined the label “Impressionist.” after seeing Monet’s after seeing Monet’s Impression SunriseImpression Sunrise ““Impression! Wallpaper… is more finished!” Impression! Wallpaper… is more finished!”

Within a year, the name Impressionism was Within a year, the name Impressionism was an accepted term in the art world. an accepted term in the art world.

Critics & many people felt that Critics & many people felt that Impressionists couldn’t draw & their Impressionists couldn’t draw & their color showed lack of taste or an color showed lack of taste or an understanding of rules of painting.understanding of rules of painting.

Critics Opinion About Critics Opinion About ImpressionistsImpressionists

Impression SunriseImpression Sunrise, Monet, , Monet, 18721872

ImpressionistsImpressionists

Most Impressionists were born middle Most Impressionists were born middle class, & that was the world they class, & that was the world they paintedpainted People at work & playPeople at work & play

Especially interested in:Especially interested in: Use of lightUse of light

The outdoors/natureThe outdoors/nature

Industrial Revolution EraIndustrial Revolution Era

The steam engine, power loom, The steam engine, power loom, camera, streetlights, ready-made camera, streetlights, ready-made fashions, steel & cast iron changed fashions, steel & cast iron changed people’s livespeople’s lives

Belief that technological progress Belief that technological progress was key to all human progress was key to all human progress

In this climate of discovery, people In this climate of discovery, people felt they could do anythingfelt they could do anything

Busy City SettingsBusy City Settings Monet immortalized Paris railroad Monet immortalized Paris railroad

stationsstations Nearly all the Impressionist artists Nearly all the Impressionist artists

painted people hurrying through busy painted people hurrying through busy streets & enjoying their leisure time streets & enjoying their leisure time on the boulevard, on the boulevard, at the racetrack, at the racetrack, in cafés/restaurantsin cafés/restaurants concerts, concerts, shops, &shops, & parksparks

Quiet Countryside SettingsQuiet Countryside Settings Railroads gave people a new mobilityRailroads gave people a new mobility

Could be in the country in an hour Could be in the country in an hour Commuters escaped the crowded Commuters escaped the crowded

city to the suburbscity to the suburbs The Seine River, parks, & gardens The Seine River, parks, & gardens

provided recreation for weekend: provided recreation for weekend: picnickers, picnickers, swimmers, & swimmers, & boat parties, which the Impressionists boat parties, which the Impressionists

painted painted

A Key to Impressionism’s A Key to Impressionism’s PopularityPopularity

The artist often put the viewer in the The artist often put the viewer in the position of someone on holiday enjoying a position of someone on holiday enjoying a beautiful scenebeautiful scene

Monet never painted weekdays Monet never painted weekdays The garden was central to late 19th The garden was central to late 19th

century lifecentury life Monet & others often painted their gardens. Monet & others often painted their gardens. Monet called his flowerbeds “my most Monet called his flowerbeds “my most

beautiful work of art.”beautiful work of art.”

En Plein Air – “Outdoors”En Plein Air – “Outdoors” Gestural & suggestive use of oil paint Gestural & suggestive use of oil paint

was presented as a finished work of art was presented as a finished work of art

Worked directly & spontaneously from Worked directly & spontaneously from naturenature

Recorded initial sensory reactions Recorded initial sensory reactions Monet believed that the first real look was Monet believed that the first real look was

the truest the truest

Landscapes often contained people, or Landscapes often contained people, or man-made structuresman-made structures

People in Impressionist People in Impressionist PaintingsPaintings

Candid or natural not posed Candid or natural not posed As if artist & viewers are watching a As if artist & viewers are watching a

private, contemplative moment. private, contemplative moment. Men, women, & children are depicted Men, women, & children are depicted

floating in a rowboat, strolling under floating in a rowboat, strolling under the trees, or just watching the river the trees, or just watching the river flow.flow.

Impressionist TechniquesImpressionist Techniques “The Painter of the Passing Moment”“The Painter of the Passing Moment”

Often painted the same scene at Often painted the same scene at different times & in different weather different times & in different weather (shiki-e)(shiki-e)

Worked fast to capture the moment Worked fast to capture the moment before the light changedbefore the light changed

Quick sketches in pencil or diluted oil Quick sketches in pencil or diluted oil paint on locationpaint on location

A distinctive style of rapid, broken A distinctive style of rapid, broken brushstrokes: brushstrokes: lines for people on a busy street, or specks lines for people on a busy street, or specks

to re-create flowers in a meadow.to re-create flowers in a meadow.

Texture & ColorTexture & Color Applied paint thickly creating a rough Applied paint thickly creating a rough

texture on the canvastexture on the canvas Impressionists mixed colors on the Impressionists mixed colors on the

canvas or stroked on the hues next to canvas or stroked on the hues next to each other & let the viewer’s eye do the each other & let the viewer’s eye do the blendingblending Process was called optical color mixingProcess was called optical color mixing

Sketchy technique suggest motion & Sketchy technique suggest motion & captured the shimmering effects of lightcaptured the shimmering effects of light

Wanted work to look almost accidentalWanted work to look almost accidental Sunlight & the hues of nature, bolder, Sunlight & the hues of nature, bolder,

lighter colors than classical studio artlighter colors than classical studio art

Krakatoa Eruption 1883Krakatoa Eruption 1883

“Son of Krakatau”

KrakatoaKrakatoa Brilliantly colored sunsets & prolonged Brilliantly colored sunsets & prolonged

twilights were noted all over the world twilights were noted all over the world after the August 1883 eruption of after the August 1883 eruption of Krakatau, Indonesia, Krakatau, Indonesia, as the result of the global spread of aerosols as the result of the global spread of aerosols

from the eruption throughout the from the eruption throughout the stratospherestratosphere

Distinct from the familiar red sunsets Distinct from the familiar red sunsets

seen through London's smoke-laden seen through London's smoke-laden atmosphereatmosphere subject of considerable contemporary subject of considerable contemporary

discussion. discussion.

Artist Artist William AscroftWilliam Ascroft drew a series of drew a series of Krakatau sunsets from the banks of the Krakatau sunsets from the banks of the Thames River months after the eruptionThames River months after the eruption

The eruptions raised global temperature The eruptions raised global temperature about 1°C in the northern hemisphereabout 1°C in the northern hemisphere

Similar effects were seen after the June Similar effects were seen after the June 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, PhilippinesPhilippines

Krakatoa SketchesKrakatoa Sketches, Ascroft, , Ascroft, 18831883

Krakatoa SketchesKrakatoa Sketches, Ascroft, , Ascroft, 18831883

Sunset, Chelsea, LondonSunset, Chelsea, London, 1883 , 1883