Romantic Era - During and Post Impressionist Art

Impressionist Art 

Impressionist art was an art movement that took place in the 19th century. The art can be characterized by thin brush strokes that accurately depict movement and light. Color and shadows are natural, mimicking everyday life. The subject of the paintings tends to be outdoors, instead of in studios like previous art styles. 

Alfred Sisley, View of the Canal Saint-Martin 1870.

View of the Canal Saint-Martin was painted by Alfred Sisley in 1870. This oil painting was exhibited and sold before it was donated in 1951 to the Louvre Museum in France. Currently, it is being displayed in the Musée d'Orsay Museum in Paris, France. The painting shows the Canal Saint-Martin and the buildings that surround it. It's a sunny day with few clouds, the blue sky is reflected off the water's surface. 

Camille Pissarro, Hay Harvest at Éragny 1901.

Jacob Abraham Camille Pissarro painted Hay Harvest at Éragny in 1901. This painting can be found displayed in the National Gallery of Canada. As Pissarro approached what he knew to be the end of his life, he traveled around more searching for new subjects and inspiration for his paintings. Hay Harvest at Éragny was based on women harvesting hay in Éragny-sur-Epte, France. You can see the movement of the women raking and harvesting captured in this painting. You can also see the different stages of the workers, the woman on the very right appears to be taking a break and the woman in the middle looks like she's taking off her jacket. The outdoor in-the-moment scenes are what impressionism art is known for. 

Post-Impressionist Art

Post-impressionism was an art movement that took place from the years 1886-1905. This art style started due to Impressionism's concern with natural colors and light. Post-impressionism embraces the subject of the outdoors and everyday life like impressionism, but it also rejects some of the rules. Post-impressionism sometimes uses broad strokes of paint, unusual or unnatural colors to set a tone or mood, and an increase in geometrical/unnatural shapes. 

Georges-Pierre Seurat, Bathers at Asnières 1884. 

Georges-Pierre Seurat painted Bathers at Asnières in 1884. Seurat applied for it to be taken into The Salon in France, but it was rejected. The painting started to gain popularity after his death about seven years after its completion. It currently hangs in the National Gallery in London and is seen as one of the museum's highlight pieces. This painting shows the Seine riverside and some young men resting beside it. These men seem not to know each other, but all are taking a break near the river to seemingly cool off. Seurat’s use of dark/light corresponds with the heat; the trees where there is shade appear lighter while other spots appear darker. There is also a huge difference in texture, we see the people with smooth larger brush strokes while the grass and water were done with thin vertical and horizontal strokes. 

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, At the Moulin Rouge 1892-1895.

At the Moulin Rouge was painted by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec between 1982 to 1895. This artwork was first displayed in the Art Institute of Chicago in 1930 and still resides there today. This painting shows the inside of the Moulin Rouge cabaret in France. The center of the painting shows three men and two women sitting at a table, and the right side shows a woman with a pale face, red lips, and dark green face shadows. She was May Milton, an English dancer. 

The Differences and Similarities to Impressionist and Post-Impressionism Art

After reviewing both art styles, I typically liked the Impressionist art over the Post-impressionism art pieces. Both styles incorporate outdoor themes and subjects, which is something I love, but the difference in lighting/color and brush strokes was the tiebreaker. For example, if we compare the Hay Harvest at Éragny and Bathers at Asnières, the difference in brush stroke size and style and color choices have a major impact on the mood and look of each painting. I felt that Pissarro’s painting had more colors, showcasing the variety in real grass. Most of the time grass isn’t just one color, it ranges and changes frequently. Seurat’s painting shows one grass color throughout most of the painting. Additionally, this grass color is very dull and dark. The reason behind this is because Seurat wanted to show the intense heat of the day, but I felt it made me think there was a source of shade (like a tree or building) when there wasn’t one. Another good comparison is At the Moulin Rouge and Hay Harvest at Éragny. Look at the faces in each painting, the shading in Pissarro’s painting shows the reflection of light properly and proper shading, while Lautrec’s painting showcased unusual lighting and shadows where there should be more or none.

I understand post-impressionism style intends to take impressionism to the next level by bending the rules of color, shading, and brush strokes, but I found in most cases, it fell flat for me. I think impressionist paintings showcased more life and what outdoor beauty truly looks like. Even so, I am glad we have so many different types of art and found each piece beautiful in its own way.

Bibliography:

“View of the Canal Saint-Martin, Paris.” Craft Fine Art, Accessed July 16, 2024. https://craftfineart.com/sisley-alfred-view-of-the-canal-saint-martin-paris-ido-14729

“Canal St Martin (1870) by Alfred Sisley.” Visual Arts Cork, Accessed July 16, 2024. 

http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/paintings-analysis/canal-st-martin.htm

“Hay Harvest at Eragny, 1901 by Camille Pissarro.” Camille Pissarro, Accessed July 15, 2024. 

https://www.camillepissarro.org/hay-harvest-at-eragny.jsp#google_vignette

“Haymaking, Éragny.” Van Gough Museum, Accessed July 15, 2024. https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/collection/s0520S2010

“Final Study for “Bathers at Asnières”.” Art Institute of Chicago, Accessed July 16, 2024. 

https://www.artic.edu/artworks/20199/final-study-for-bathers-at-asnieres

“Bathers at Asnières.” ART UK, Accessed July 16, 2024. https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/bathers-at-asnieres-114362

“At the Moulin Rouge.” Art Institute of Chicago, Accessed July 18, 2024. 

https://www.artic.edu/artworks/61128/at-the-moulin-rouge