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post = after the impressionism movement
Post-Impressionism
> Term spreads after art critic & painter Roger Fry used it in the title of an exhibition in 1910 (Manet & the Post-Impressionists)
> Not a movement as such but a term to designate a diversity of artists who contested academism but tried to go beyond impressionism
> time span MOL 1886-1905
> associated w/ post-impressionism period (Neo-impressionism) initiated by Georges Seurat & Paul Signac different from Post-Impressionism
Neo-Impressionism vs Post-Impressionism
Neo-Impressionism is a specific movement
VS
Post-Impressionism differs in its execution
Order
Impressionism (1860s):
Emerged first in France.
Focused on capturing fleeting moments and the effects of light and atmosphere.
Employed loose brushstrokes and visible dabs of color.
Depicted everyday scenes, often with a focus on the idyllic.
Neo-Impressionism (1880s):
Developed as a reaction to Impressionism.
Emphasized scientific color theory.
Utilized pointillism (small dots of pure color) to create vibrant hues.
Sought a more structured and precise approach to Impressionist principles.
Post-Impressionism (1880s):
A reaction to Impressionism.
Focused on personal expression and deeper meaning.
Employed bolder colors and more structured compositions.
Explored form, emotion, and subjective interpretations of reality.
Key Differences:
Impressionism: Emphasized capturing the immediate visual sensation.
Post-Impressionism: Sought to express deeper emotions and ideas through art.
Neo-Impressionism: Explored color theory in a scientific and systematic way.
Main artists
> the neo-impressionists (Neo-Impressionism is a European movement initiated by Georges Seurat & Paul Signac)
> Vincent Van Gogh
> Paul Gauguin
> Paul Cézanne
> Edward Munch
the Nabis (a group of French painters active from 1888-1890) etc
Neo-Impressionism (Georges Seurat, Paul Signac & others)
Term coined by art critic Félix Fénéon in 1886
Main artists : Georges Seurat & Paul Signac
Soon spread as a European movement: (France, Belgium, Holland, Italy)
2 « moments » :
pointillism around Georges Seurat (1886-1891)
divisionism around Paul Signac (1891-1905).
Signac rejected the term « pointillism ».
Main theories: optical blending of colors & simultaneous contrast
last impressionism exhibition in 1888
Exhibited painting by George Seurat, Une baignade à Asnières the term Neo-Impressionism is coined because of it ⇒ showing a transition from Impressionism (by Seurat) to Neo-Impressionism
Transition from Impressionism to Neo-Impressionism
Impressionism
> focus on objects in leisure scenes & light in its surroundings
> Characteristics
→ hasty brushwork w/ rapid application of pigments
→ use of complementary colors side by side 2 created optical blending & light vibration
→ figures & subjects often appear less fixed; the painting process gives dynamic, fluid effect
→ subjects sometimes extend beyond or are cut by the canvas edges
⇒ RESULT: colors blend partially due to the rapid painting technique, even w/ pure pigments
Neo-impressionism
> Reacted to Impressionist methods by refining the technique of light vibration.
> Characteristics:
→ Pointillism: Painting with separate, precise dots of color, ensuring no blending occurs on the canvas
→ Avoided painting on the scene to maintain deliberate & careful composition
→ Figures & objects appear more solid and fixed, resembling statues
→ Reintroduction of lines and stable brushwork for clarity and structure
⇒ GOAL: Consolidate light effects while preserving the integrity of objects
Neo-Impressionism main techniques
> pointillism: painting w/ separate dots of colors
> divisionism: separation of color on the canvas in order to produce optical effects (optical blending)
N.B.: Sometimes, Neo-Impressionism is referred to as « Pointillism » or « Divisionism ». This is incorrect
Georges Seurat, Bathing at Asnières, 1884
→ The subject of this painting is pleasure/ modern life
→ Reflection of light on the water aka one of the most important subjects of impressionism however it differs from impressionism by it’s technique
→ Here there is a stable brush work
Neo-Impressionism
Techniques:
pointillism: painting with separate dots of color
divisionism: separation of color on the canvas in order to produce optical effects (optical blending)
N.B.: Sometimes, Neo-Impressionism is referred to as « Pointillism » or « Divisionism ». This is incorrect since the name is simply Neo-impressionism.
Rendering light effects & color
> Focus on how light and color interact in various settings (natural light outdoors vs. artificial light indoors)
Seurat’s Techniques
> "Le Cirque": Composition guides the viewer's eyes to circle within the painting
> Applied the theory of line & laws of color to evoke emotion & harmony
> Dots in pointillist paintings were uniformly sized & calculated based on the canvas dimensions to achieve color & line harmony
Purpose of Neo-Impressionist Art
> Simplified expression to convey solidity & harmony
> Aimed to introduce & reflect social harmony, tying art to a utopian vision of society where art & social ideals are interconnected
Paul Signac Contributions
> Au temps d’Harmonie: Represents the artist's role in promoting a harmonious social utopia
> Highlighted the artist as a social actor, intertwining formal artistic concepts with societal engagement
POST-IMPRESSIONISM
The birth of the « expressive » trend in other post-impressionist painters : Van Gogh, Gauguin, Munch ⇒ These artists are very important because they introduce an element of subjectivity
Paul Gauguin > The Vision After the Sermon
→ Depicts a biblical vision experienced by women after hearing a sermon
→ Women in traditional Breton clothing; Gauguin was inspired by archaic & primitive art
→ Artistic Style:
⇒ Moved from Impressionism to unblended, vibrant colors (e.g., red for earth instead of green)
⇒ Arbitrary use of margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;">⇒ Introduced symbolic elements, mixing unrelated objects for emotional & thematic depth
⇒ Looser brushstrokes, arbitrary colors, rougher textures, and unconventional materials (e.g., wood, poorly prepared canvases)
⇒ Explored primitive instincts & emotional depth, influencing Van Gogh
⇒ Large flat areas of colors ⇒ quite violent colors which are disconnected from reality
⇒ We start to see the apparition of arbitrary colors + expressive– they aren’t used for descriptive functions but to convey an emotion
Vincent Van Gogh > The Church at Auvers sur Oise
(Influenced by Gauguin’s use of flat color areas & contours)
→ Painted after his time in a mental institution w/ the idea of church as a refuge
→ Distorted architecture & swirling background reflect his inner feelings & vision of reality ⇒ elements used by Van Gogh to reflect his vision that is distorted due to his inner toumants
→ Focus on subjective reality shaped by emotion ⇒ Reality transforms by his inner feelings
Edvard Munch > The Scream:
> Captures internal emotions & existential angst
> Curved lines, swirling forms, & distorted colors depict a reality transformed by the artist’s inner turmoil.
> Impact:
→ Influenced German artists & introduced a strong subjective element in art, emphasizing the expression of the inner world
