Neo-Impressionism

  • Time Frame: 1886-1906

  • Coined by: Felix Feneon (critic)

  • Founders: Georges Seurat, Paul Signac, Camille Pissarro

    • Development: Builds on Impressionism but is more scientific in approach.

  • Characteristics:

    • Combines spontaneity with reflective, permanent elements.
    • Innovations include:
    • Scientific Color Theory: Involves optical mixing principles.
    • Techniques: Pointillism and Divisionism.

  • Intellectual and Political Context:

    • Linked with Symbolism, focusing on the desire to express structure and mood beyond natural appearances.
    • Embraced anarchistic and egalitarian ideals, advocating that art should elevate daily life.
    • Considered a tool for social change, expressing individuality and anti-establishment views.

  • Exhibition History:

    • Gained traction in Brussels in 1887 following Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte."
    • Seurat was referred to as the "messiah of new art" during this period.
    • Had a notable exhibition in the Netherlands in 1892 after the "Les XX" exhibition at The Hague.

  • Decline:

    • Declined after Seurat’s death in 1891 with some artists, including Pissarro, finding it tedious.
    • Revival noted in Signac's book, From Delacroix to Neo-Impressionism (1899) inspired the Fauvist movement.

Artist Spotlight: Paul Cézanne

  • Role: Clear transitional figure between Impressionism and 20th-century Modernism.

  • Objectives: Aimed to give Impressionism more structure with stronger emphasis on color and form, resulting in works that feel "solid" and enduring.

  • Stylistic Periods:

    • Early Works (Before 1872): Influenced by Romanticism using dark, thick paint and violent subjects.
    • Impressionist Phase (1872-1882): Exhibited in the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874, utilizing light but still interested in the imaginary.
    • Synthesis (1883-1895): Focused on structure; painted nature as something built rather than simply recorded.
    • Integration of brain and eye to interpret paintings by simplifying to vertical, horizontal, and diagonal components.
    • Late Works (1895-1906): Significant exhibitions showcased more vibrant colors and fragmentation.

  • Key Contributions:

    • Combined Impressionist qualities into solid structure, influencing the Fauves and Cubists.
    • Developed constructive strokes and simplification techniques.

  • Reception: Critically, he faced negativity during his life due to unconventional techniques but is later acknowledged as a "father of modern art."

Artist Spotlight: Henri Matisse

  • Role: French painter, draughtsman, sculptor, printmaker, designer, and writer; leader of Fauvism.

    • Evolution: Transitioned into decorative styles and modernism.

  • Innovations:

    • Known for using color as a structural element while emphasizing expressionism through innovative depictions of the human figure.

  • Artistic Developments:

    • Influenced by Impressionism, explored outdoor painting, light, and fragmentation, guided by Pissarro’s ideals (1897).
    • His artwork reflects neo-Impressionism and engages in color experimentation.

  • Timeline of Key Works and Movements:

    • 1904-1906: Engaged in Fauvism inspired by Signac's pivotal manifesto conveying light through flat, bold color.
    • 1905: Exhibited in Salon d'Automne with the painting "Les Fauves," along with De Vlaminck and Derain; critics labeled it as "brutal."
    • 1906-1910: Transitioned from Fauvism to a focus on monumental design reflecting