Post-Impressionism

After Impressionism, the Post-Impressionism movement occurred, as the name suggests. Impressionism is very close to Post-Impressionism, for the vivid color usage, thick, swift brush strokes, and the real-life subject matter painted in a dashing method, yet Post-Impressionists used much unrealistic color as well as making the geometric forms more recognizable yet distorted. Some people argue that this artistic time was least significant of them all, while others hold it dear to their hearts. I actually like these works as much as Impressionists, yet I do not find either of them particularly interesting. They are respectable, yet I cannot fathom studying a piece all day. I cannot say I do not like all of them, but I do not fancy most of them. One painting we watched a movie about was called A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. I enjoy the style it was created in, by a famous artist of this time, Georges Seurat, yet do not like the way the people hold themselves. I do not like the colors or the subjects, the lack of movement or pretty much anything else about it. This is why I did not like the movie, for it was all about a painting I could not enjoy as much as others.

Another famous artist during this era was Paul Cezanne. Out of the painters that I know of in this time period, I must say I take pleasure in Cezanne the most. One of his paintings is called The Card Players. I love the expressions on their faces, the colors, the brush strokes, their postures, the hint of a background, the color of the wood, popping out, almost making you smell it.

I am very flip floppy about this movement because I find many pieces I like and dislike, for the others I usually like or dislike in general. It makes it all the more difficult, yet all the more interesting.

NYC Class Trip

At New York, we went to the Whitney Museum and MoMA, each having a guided tour then some free time on our own. Within each tour we had a tour guide, Iway and some guy. These people made us look at certain works of art that were controversial as to whether or not they were actually "art". The first painting we discussed at the Whitney was called Woman and Bicycle by an artist named William De Kooning.

Many people cannot tell what this work is, some do not even consider it art. I believe it is art, for the artist created it for some reason. I do not particularly love the piece, yet it deserves a title as artwork. I'm not sure if it is worthy of portraying in a museum, yet who can truly say which artwork is worthy of displaying?
Another area in the Whitney we designated to an artist who got someone to print out documents from the Iraq war. While I believe this has much impact on people and should be displayed somewhere, I do not consider it this artists true artwork, for she simply printed a paper. She did not collage anything, she did not change anything, she simply thought people should read these documents so she printed them.
At the MoMA, some artwork was in question as well. One artist got a person to take a picture of him sitting on a couch with trash bags. Next, he paid a billboard painter to create theses works, yet considered them his own art. I believe the true painter of the art should get credit for the work, and the other artist should get credit for the thought.
One painting I fell in love with at the MoMA was called The Sleeping Gypsy by Henri Rousseau.

I enjoy the crisp, harsh lines, the deep and light contrasting colors, the form of the gypsy as he falls asleep with a lion behind him, wide eyed. I choose to believe the lion as a friend, for the atmosphere is cozy with a full moon tinting the sky with light and a cute, tiny musical instrument sleeping with the gypsy. I stood and studied this painting for a good six minutes, much more than the four seconds Iway said people tend to look at a painting!
And last, but not least, I discovered a culinary art in New York as I munched on the most delicious meat I have ever eaten, Lamb! The perfect ending to the perfect field trip.

Impressionism

Impressionism gave the onlooker more choice how to truly see the painting he or she was gazing at, for it was not painted clearly. Murky outlines, small dabs or spots of color made up a subject that was to be painted, giving the viewer a scene as if he or she was squinting. The subject painted was almost always what was seen, no idealism, no surrealism, simply painting and highlighting the subject usually with sunlight. No only were the brush strokes tiny, they usually were many colors blended together to get a desired effect. While it must take skill to paint something in this way, they are not my favorite genre of paintings.I actually love Renoir's work, yet cannot stand Monet's work. Odd, yet I find his art unattractive to my very soul. I tend to feel a respect for the choice of color and how the painting looks like a photograph when I squint my eyes, yet do not feel a huge bond toward this form of artwork. Monet and Renoir are probably the most known male painters at this time, yet women were beginning to get recognized as well. Cassatt was one of the few women we discussed in class. The women tend to have styles like Renoir and Monet. They must have wanted to be like the most famous, for they were the first females, it must have been intimidating. One year in high school, I went to the Philadelphia Art Museum with French club and studied the Renoir display, for he was French. I like him better than any other Impressionist I have viewed in this class. It amazes me how he became crippled by rheumatism, yet still continued to paint, this time, with the brush tied to his wrist. How difficult that must have been, yet he continued through and did what he had to do, paint. One of the paintings I enjoy by Renoir is Portrait of Claude Renoir Painting.

This painting shows who I assume is a relative of Renoir, for they share the same last name, painting. This boy has such gloss to his hair, the brush stroke illuminating, little detail, yet an "impression" is made that gives the boy certain features like the chub of his cheeks and hands. His shirt had many colors in it, harmoniously flowing together.
Another painting I enjoy is by Mary Cassatt titled, Children Playing. This chub of the children, techniques used, and style are very similar to Renoir.

Both paintings have more solid lines than Monet, which I think I prefer subconsciously. Overall, Impressionism is interesting, as my favorite artist, Dali, began as an impressionist, yet I believe artists need to grow from it and explore other areas, as they should not matter what their favorite type is, yet even more so with Impressionism.