Post Post ImpressionismImpressionism

1880s-1900s1880s-1900s

Definition:Definition:

This is a term that covers a generation of artists who sought new forms of expression in the wake of the Impressionist movement.

This term really describes what these This term really describes what these artists were not -They were no longer artists were not -They were no longer content with recording only the content with recording only the immediate visual sensation of light and immediate visual sensation of light and color.color.

They looked for ways to express They looked for ways to express meaning beyond surface appearances, meaning beyond surface appearances, to paint with the emotions and the to paint with the emotions and the intellect, as well as the eye.intellect, as well as the eye.

Each of these artists explored these Each of these artists explored these concepts from their own personal concepts from their own personal perspective including choice of subject perspective including choice of subject matter, use of color, and technique. matter, use of color, and technique.

Their efforts would lay the foundation Their efforts would lay the foundation for every artist to follow in the 20th for every artist to follow in the 20th century. century.

Georges SeuratGeorges Seurat Created a scientific method called Created a scientific method called

Pointillism in which tiny dots of Pointillism in which tiny dots of various color are placed next to various color are placed next to each other on the canvas. each other on the canvas.

This creates a dizzying effect This creates a dizzying effect when viewed up close. when viewed up close.

From a distance the mind mixes From a distance the mind mixes these dots of color to reveal a these dots of color to reveal a soft, almost - muted canvas.soft, almost - muted canvas.

Paul Cezanne 1839-1906Paul Cezanne 1839-1906

His paintings seem His paintings seem to be laid down in to be laid down in patches of color, patches of color, dividing his dividing his canvases into canvases into many various many various planes. planes.

His colors are His colors are bright, and there is bright, and there is frequently a frequently a confusing sense of confusing sense of perspective. perspective.

There is usually a There is usually a very limited sense very limited sense of depth, and the of depth, and the contents of his contents of his still-lifes seem to still-lifes seem to almost topple out almost topple out of balance.of balance.

His mission His mission becomes the becomes the purpose of re-purpose of re-creating the creating the world to fit the world to fit the needs of his art.needs of his art.

Paul Gauguin 1843-Paul Gauguin 1843-19031903

Most of his paintings are Most of his paintings are expressive of his interest in the expressive of his interest in the spiritual purity within people. spiritual purity within people.

He was fascinated by their He was fascinated by their devotion to nature and their lack of devotion to nature and their lack of European materialism. European materialism.

Capturing images of the people of Capturing images of the people of Tahiti became an obsession of his Tahiti became an obsession of his toward the last years of his life. toward the last years of his life.

He especially became He especially became fascinated by the fascinated by the women of this culture women of this culture whom he felt whom he felt possessed a quiet possessed a quiet dignity and an innate dignity and an innate knowledge of life's knowledge of life's mysteries.mysteries.

He lays down He lays down saturated colors in a saturated colors in a rather flat manner, rather flat manner, filling the canvas with filling the canvas with bold and bright bold and bright shapes. The Color shapes. The Color represents the represents the spirituality or feeling spirituality or feeling of the subjectof the subject

Vincent Van Gogh 1853-Vincent Van Gogh 1853-18901890

Van Gogh was an unhappy and Van Gogh was an unhappy and unstable man who never realized the unstable man who never realized the true genius of his work.true genius of his work.

Van Gogh’s life was full of rejection Van Gogh’s life was full of rejection and poverty. and poverty.

He longed to be loved and to find He longed to be loved and to find purpose in his life.purpose in his life.

He was a man who had He was a man who had compassion for the world... who compassion for the world... who wished more than anything to wished more than anything to be of some useful purpose to be of some useful purpose to others. others.

He tried many jobs including He tried many jobs including being a minister for a short time being a minister for a short time until he was dismissed by the until he was dismissed by the church for his unusual devotion church for his unusual devotion to his congregation.to his congregation.

His brother, Theo, who was a successful His brother, Theo, who was a successful art dealer in Paris, convinced him to start art dealer in Paris, convinced him to start painting as a way to help give meaning to painting as a way to help give meaning to his life and to put money into his pocket.his life and to put money into his pocket.

Inspired by the Impressionists, he spent Inspired by the Impressionists, he spent the last ten years of his life painting.the last ten years of his life painting.

He was afflicted with bouts of He was afflicted with bouts of mental instability. Depression, mental instability. Depression, rage and insecurity haunted him rage and insecurity haunted him his entire life.his entire life.

His state of mind was not helped His state of mind was not helped by overwork (especially in the by overwork (especially in the hot sun), bad dietary habits, and hot sun), bad dietary habits, and reliance on tobacco, coffee and reliance on tobacco, coffee and alcohol. It is widely believed he alcohol. It is widely believed he suffered from a severe case of suffered from a severe case of bipolar disorder. bipolar disorder.

During one of these bouts of During one of these bouts of instability, he cut his ear off.instability, he cut his ear off.

Fear of further damage to himself or Fear of further damage to himself or others, he checked himself into a others, he checked himself into a

sanatorium where he completed one of sanatorium where he completed one of his most famous masterpieces. . .his most famous masterpieces. . .

This painting is of This painting is of one of the doctors one of the doctors who helped take who helped take care of Van Gogh care of Van Gogh in the sanatorium in the sanatorium and during the last and during the last few days of his few days of his life.life.

It sold in May of It sold in May of 1990 for 82.5 1990 for 82.5 million. million.

This is quite ironic, since Van Gogh only This is quite ironic, since Van Gogh only sold one painting during his entire sold one painting during his entire lifetime.lifetime.

Two years after his death, his artwork Two years after his death, his artwork became well known in Paris and became well known in Paris and eventually the entire world.eventually the entire world.

Van Gogh continued to grow increasingly Van Gogh continued to grow increasingly depressed as he realized that his mental depressed as he realized that his mental illness would never be cured. This was illness would never be cured. This was coupled with the realization that he had coupled with the realization that he had become a financial burden to his brother, become a financial burden to his brother, who had recently fathered a child.who had recently fathered a child.

Dealing with these Dealing with these increasing burdens, he increasing burdens, he attempted to shoot himself attempted to shoot himself in a cornfield behind his in a cornfield behind his apartment building.apartment building.

He bled to death three He bled to death three days later in his tiny one days later in his tiny one room apartment.room apartment.

His final words were, “Who His final words were, “Who would believe that life could would believe that life could be so sad.”be so sad.”

His technique:His technique:

Expression of emotion through Expression of emotion through color, movement and light.color, movement and light.

Vibrant, contrasting colors Vibrant, contrasting colors applied with heavy applied with heavy brushstrokes (impasto) in order brushstrokes (impasto) in order to create feeling and emotionto create feeling and emotion

All of his paintings have this All of his paintings have this sense of constant motion.sense of constant motion.

He often used colors that were He often used colors that were not naturally seen. He painted not naturally seen. He painted his own personal realism or his own personal realism or feeling of a subject.feeling of a subject.

He once said that he wanted “to He once said that he wanted “to paint incorrectly so that my paint incorrectly so that my

untruth becomes more truthful untruth becomes more truthful than the literal truth.”than the literal truth.”