Romantic

Impressionism

Impressionism is a style of art that expresses the painting through the use of noticeable brush strokes, giving off a sketch-like appearance. At the time, some critics felt the paintings had a “lack of finish”.

I personally feel this style of painting is appealing for a few different reasons. The first reason I find this style appealing is how it in some ways reminds me of abstract paintings, which I have always found aesthetically appealing. Another reason I like this style of painting is because I feel that the harsh differences in color seen in each stroke shows exactly what the artist is thinking when creating each shape.

 

Claude Monet – Impression Sunrise, 1872

The painting above was an impressionism painting that was exhibited at the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874. Although this painting may not display an incredibly detailed depiction of what may be going on, I believe it appears abstract enough that it is still pleasing to look at.

Claude Monet – Garden at Sainte-Adresse

I chose another painting by Monet because I love the versatility she displays between these two works. The first appears very abstract while the second is incredibly detailed while still having a hint of abstract feel. In many of her paintings, I couldn’t help but love the way she portrayed the water and the way it moves. I also love the way she allows the harsh colors to pop in the flowers. She also entails great detail in the ships in the background while still following the guidelines of the impressionistic style.

Alfred Sisley – Allee of Chestnut Trees

The piece above is a great representation of a middle ground between the first two paintings. Sisley does a great job of painting a fairly clear image with the “sketch-like” elements of impressionism. The not so detailed clouds behind the fairly detailed trees shows great contrast. I can’t help but love the beauty of the leaves in the trees.

 

Neoclassical versus Impressionism

At the time, it was very hard for critics to adjust to the style of impressionism simply because neoclassical was so different. The purpose of neoclassical was to appear smooth and leave no signs of brush strokes. This is clearly very different from impressionism, which is intended to show the brush strokes and not appear smooth. Neoclassical focused on realistic depictions while impressionism focused on the effects of light.

Neoclassical had more rules and guidelines. Impressionism was created by a group that when told their style was unacceptable continued to fund their own exhibitions anyways.

 

 

Works Cited

 “A Beginner’s Guide to Impressionism.” Khan Academy. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

“Impressionism VS. Neoclassicism.” Kologban. N.p., 2013. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

Samu, Margaret. “Impressionism: Art and Modernity.” The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

Classical

Neoclassical

The second half of the eighteenth century, often known as the Age of Reason, was captivated by the spirit of Enlightenment. During this time, individuals thought for themselves and begun to disregard previous concepts of conduct.

Neoclassical works were known to be more serious and heroic.

Jacques Louis David

Jacques Louis David was considered one of the most prominent painters of the classical era. Known as a highly influential French painter, David specialized in the Neoclassical style.

Death of Socrates (1787) – Metropolitan Museum of Art

Socrates is best known as a philosopher who faced the death penalty for “corrupting the young”. He was condemned to death or exile, but chose the death penalty due to exile by the Athenian government raising skepticism among his students.This painting, created by David in 1787, was highly analyzed and discussed by David and his friends prior to painting. The idea was to show the energy of the scene through those holding Socrates down. Details in the painting include Plato sitting at the end of the bed, as well as Socrates’s wife leaving the prison. I like this painting because it depicts a real life scene. It also shows what Socrates was willing to go through in order to defend his philosophies.

Jean Antoine-Houdon

Jean Antoine-Houdon was known as the greatest European sculptor of the eighteenth century. He not only flourished during the American and the French Revolutions, but the Directoire and Empire in France. He was known for his incredible ability to capture greatly detailed characteristics and the essence of his subject.

George Washington (1788-92) – State Capitol, Richmond, Virginia. Sculpted in Rome.

After the American Revolutionary War, America wanted to create a sculpture to commemorate Washington. Thomas Jefferson set out to find the right sculptor and knew Houdon was perfect for the job. Houdon came to Virginia to gather everything he needed to capture the proper elements for his sculpture. What I like most about this piece is the backstory about how Washington disliked the classical attire and consisted on wearing contemporary. I feel as though this element takes a great deal from the artists to properly depict something not as familiar.

 

Angelica Kauffman

Angelica Kauffman, a swiss painter, was known as a “child prodigy”. Her father, Joseph Kauffman, was famous for his murals and portraits. Angelica Kauffman made a name for herself when she became well known for her neoclassical history paintings.

Cornelia Pointing to Her Children as Treasures (1785) – Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

This piece was widely known for its great depiction of the ancient Roman dress, as well as the masterful togas worn by the children. It allows for the illusion that they could have stepped directly off of a temple’s pediment. I like this painting because the skill it takes for an artist to capture elements of a previous time is not an easy task.

 

Works Cited

“Age of Reason.” AllAboutHistory.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

 “Artist of the Month: May 2014 | Blog | Royal Academy of Arts.” Artist of the Month: May 2014 | Blog | Royal Academy of Arts. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

“Houdon, George Washington.” Khan Academy. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

“Jacques Louis David – The Complete Works.” Jacques Louis David – The Complete Works. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

“Jacques-Louis David: The Death of Socrates.” Neo-Classicism and French Revolution. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

“Neo-Classical Art.” Mark Harden’s Artchive: “Neo-Classical Art” N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.