The Power of Emotion. Art Analysis: Romantic Art

 

At the turn of the 18^th century, many nations would be thrown into war during the famed Age of Revolution, their governments completely changed by the ideals of Enlightenment. This movement, centered of an idea of human happiness, fought for a common man’s pursuit for higher knowledge; it called for governments to provide reason and order, while protecting rights of individual liberty, progression, and toleration. However, as empires fell and new independent states were born, Europe would find that a cultural revolution had also begun. This would be known as the Romantic Era, where multiple unique art styles were born challenging some of the ideals Enlightenment had brought to the continent. Artists argued that both sense and emotion were just as important, as reason and order, to understanding the world around us. They hailed the imagination found during the struggle for individual freedom, equality, and justice

Throughout the 19^th century, as artists found their voices across all genres, they fought against the dull style of Neoclassicism period – the current style preferred by most academies – by depicting the Age of Revolution, including its atrocities, in dramatic composition. Furthermore, they rejected industrialization, promoting the significance of connecting to nature and a romanticized past. Soon they gained international interest, woven with the spread of newfound nationalism, and continued introducing their values of originality, inspiration, and imagination to a wide array of budding artists. Along with these values, they emphasized the importance of folklore, tradition, and landscape in artwork to represent national identity. (TheArtStory). As such, artists would adopt a new technique for painting – called plein air, or painting outdoors, to help them capture the beauty of their nation. Their works helped to elevate landscape, and atmospheric art, to a new level of appreciation; with some even changing the depiction of power in nature, allowing audiences to be fascinated, yet still a feel a sense of terror. (TheArtStory).

Impressionism:

 

In 1874, a group known as Société Anonyme des Artistes, Peintres, Sculpteurs, Graveurs – or “Artists, Painters, Sculptors, Engravers, Inc.” – held an interesting art exhibition independent of the Salon, the world renowned art exhibit of Paris. These artists, inspired by Edouard Manet: a man known for his unique bold styling and focus on modern subjects, painted unpolished works and sketches of the French landscape around them. One the more famed artists in this troop, Claude Monet, sketched a rough, yet expressive, view of the Le Havre during sunrise for this exhibit. This piece, though heavily criticized, would define the group’s style, and introduce the world of Impressionism.

During the 1874 exhibition, a commentator noted the artists were, "[…] impressionists in the sense that they render, not the landscape, but the sensation produced by the landscape.” (National Gallery of Art). The group realized before the exhibition, they wanted to paint more then what they saw, they wanted to capture the way they saw it. This ideology, along with French academic studies of perception and color theory, allowed Impressionism to find its way into the lexicon of art. Viewers noticed that these Impressionists drew from Manet's style, a contrast of distinct brushstrokes with unblended color, truly portraying the raw emotion felt by the audience. They drew this connection after experiencing Manet’s controversial piece at the Salon, The Railway, which had disturbed many attendees. They expressed trouble finding its subject in the real world, as if they were deciphering the ‘unfinished’ artwork. For Manet, he unknowingly exposed these enthusiasts to the new style of Impressionism.

Impression Sunrise, c.1871, by Claude Monet. Painted in Paris, France.     

After viewing Monet’s piece, Louis Leroy wrote an article ridiculing the painting, stating, “What freedom … what flexibility of style! Wallpaper in its early stages is much more finished than that.” (ImpressionistArts). He classified the artwork as a mere ‘impression,’ but his attempt at insulting Monet would fall short. For Monet, and his fellow artists, they were revolutionary in the way they reflected the emotion felt from the scenery. To them, the critics were unable to see their vision and their departure from painting just another photographic representation. After the 1874 exhibition, the group would wear Leroy’s insult with pride and named themselves "Impressionists".

 La Seine à Rouen, L’Île Lacroix, effet de brouillard, c.1888, by Camille Pissarro. Painted in Normandy, France.

Camille Pissarro, one of original members of Société Anonyme des Artistes, Peintres, Sculpteurs, Graveurs and a founder of Impressionism. He had a profound impact on the art style, including his work with Divisionism – a sub style he considered to be the next “logical step” in Impressionism. By 1888, he would apply the principles, from both styles, in his ‘grey art,’ breathing life into this realm of art. For next decade, Pissarro’s grey art would define him as an artist; this art showed his ambitious idea to give a painting ‘movement.’ He wanted to capture the urban activity around him, from the smoking bellowing from boats to the passerby in the streets, to mist and fog found in the city’s atmosphere. (Gascoigne).

Art Analysis:

Color – Throughout my research of Impressionism, I found that this art style featured many works that used beautiful, bright colors to portray the vision of the artist. However, it was interesting to see both Monet’s, Impression Sunrise, and Pissarro’s, La Seine à Rouen, L’Île Lacroix, effet de brouillard, only use a very limited color palette – Monet’s work relied heavily on various grey and blue hues to create the image of a port, while Pissarro’s work is predominately black and white with some blue along the shoreline and within the buildings on the dock. Surprisingly, though one would assume would be dull, I actually enjoyed this direction more, as it produced a deeper emotional response from me. Their limited use of color triggered my own memories and emotions to complete the image. Monet includes just a splash of orange, representing the sun in his piece, and this produces a vibrant contrast – as blue and orange are complements – just like the sun peering over the mountains and contrasting with the dark landscape at dawn. Meanwhile, Pissarro’s black boats and blue structures stand out against rolling grey fog that has engulfed the horizon. The water has a eerie, mirror-like finish, reflecting the greyness overtaking the port – together, they give me a feeling of suspense.

Tone – As with other art styles, Impressionists used color and tone to depict the vivid light and deep shadows found in the landscapes around them. Tone is an excellent tool to help elicit an emotional response from an artwork’s audience – as such painters, like Monet, used layers of shadows to help support the contrast produced by their color palette. In Impression Sunrise, for example, the sun illuminates the foreground of the painting – specifically both the water and the atmosphere – compared to the shadows, which shroud the horizon in darkness. To me, this use of tone reminds me of sense of hope I feel when I look at the sunrise. Your day may feel long at first, as you have overwhelming tasks and other annoyances that plague you at the office, but as the sun rises, light moves farther in front of you; each step forward, towards the horizon, is you accomplishing more in your day and pushing forward against hardship.

Form – The distinctive brushstrokes used in Impressionism truly create a sense of 3d space. Even in a simpler work like Impression Sunrise, Monet’s varying weight in between the strokes of each boat helps generate linear perspective and the sense that each boat is farther from us then the last one. The thick, short strokes in the foreground provide just enough detail for my mind to see small, gentle waves in the water – I can hear the water press against the dock as I view this artwork. As from Pissarro’s, there is sense of stillness, maybe even caution as the sailors cannot see one another through the fog. I can imagine myself on the ship in the foreground, standing on deck and feeling the steadiness of the calm waters around me.

Post-Impressionism:

 

As the Romantic Era inspired artists to develop their own styles, born out of their individual freedom and expression, different ideals begun to clash as the end of the 19^th century. Impressionism, a style focused just on portraying the emotion felt when viewing nature, combated the rigid nature of Neoclassicalism – which concentrated mostly on depicting the realistic detail found in nature. Ironically though, Impressionism was strict in its own rules and thus limited the expression of its painters. As such, many Impressionists distant themselves from the art style, choosing to develop their own personal style and favor ambitious expression – though many would include aspects of Impressionism, like vibrant colors, absence of traditional subject material, and producing form through separate brushstrokes.

By the late 1880’s, a legendary group of artists had broken free of naturalism, choosing to fully express their emotions and represent a sense of deeper symbolism – going beyond the simple impressions of the past decade. This collection of artists would include Paul Cézanne, Georges Seurat, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec; each would go on to produce art with a renewed aesthetic sense, some abstract tendencies, and a diverse stylistic path. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art). Interestingly, these painters did not collaborate often, or at all; each desiring a personal sense of artistic achievement. Still, their original works would have a significant impact on the artistic world – and were so distinct from their Impressionist contemporaries – that they would be collectively known as the Post-Impressionists.

 Road in Etten, c.1881, by Vincent van Gogh. Painted in Etten, Netherlands.

                During 1881, Vincent van Gogh has resided in Etten for a short time, yet he was able to produce a number of notable works, all centered around the poor townsfolk and their modest routines. Separating himself from the strict rules of Impressionism, van Gogh still captured the emotions felt by the locals performing mundane tasks in equally mundane atmosphere – like in his work Road in Etten. I feel the jagged willows, scraggly brush, and lack of color work to create a sense of depression from the worker and represent the socioeconomic oppression he has felt.

 

 Seascape at Port-en-Bessin, Normandy, c.1888, by George Seurat. Painted in Normandy, France.

    Georges Seurat, a notable Post-Impressionist, succeeded in obtaining his own sense of artistic achievement in 1886, with the advent of Neo-Impressionism. Seurat renounced the random, spontaneous nature found within Impressionism, and favored a more scientific approach to painting. After working with famed chemist, Michel-Eugène Chevreul, he began to experiment with the theories of the chromatic circle of light and the different visual effects achieved when using primary colors. After his studies, Seurat believed he could create vibrant works of art using separate pigments, rather than mixing the colors on the palette. His disciple, Paul Signac, said this technique allowed “the separated elements [to be] reconstituted into brilliantly colored lights.” (Britannica).

Art Analysis:

    Line – Unlike Impressionists, who either painted realistic features and figures, or used dissimilar brushstrokes to create form, Post-Impressionists incorporated many more simple lines in their artwork. Vincent van Gogh’s Road in Etten is a fantastic example of this line use, as I described earlier, with the jagged branches of the willows creating a sense of turmoil, and a strong feeling of adversity when I viewed the sketch – as if the trees are gatekeepers. Along with that, the unkempt bushes produce a feeling of decay – the brush is weak and short-lived. As I view this street, I cannot help but feel sympathy for the street worker, who is most likely impoverished, and wish for him to find success elsewhere. Conversely, Seurat’s Seascape at Port-en-Bessin, Normandy uses much softer lines to create a beautiful depiction of the Norman landscape. Almost immediately after viewing this painting, I felt a wave of peace, just like the sensation I feel when I’m out in nature. Whether it is at a beach or on a mountain-top: watching the sunshine around the corners of a cliff, over the crest hill, and across smooth terrain leading the water, allows me to decompress and take a step out of my hectic schedule – even if it just for a moment.

    Color – Even with their departure from Impressionism, the Post-Impressionists continued the use of vivid colors to help express their individual emotion. However, such as van Gogh’s Road in Etten, not all colors are meant to represent positive feelings, rather they can deepen the negative emotion felt by the artwork. As I have discussed, I felt a quite a bit of negativity when viewing the sketch, especially from the dull, washed out colors used for the landscape. With the liberal use of browns, greys, and black, I felt transported to a point in history where I could watch an oppressed serf put to work. Contrasting to this, Seurat’s seascape features soft greens, light blues, and bright yellows, which all come together to portray the beautiful sunrise over one of Normandy’s beaches. These colors are calm and gentle, inviting us to enjoy the beach depicted before us – while the sunlight peeking over the slope provides us warmth. Finally, Seurat’s use of color separation does help add brilliance to the painting’s lighting, just as Signac had described.

    Texture – While both Impressionists and Post-Impressionists used discrete brushstrokes in their artwork, Post-Impressionists applied them to produce texture, rather than rudimentary form. The is evident in Road in Etten, where van Gogh painted numerous straight, thin strokes on each willow tree trunk – adding to the decayed look of trees as is each covered in layers of dry, brittle bark. The grass growing behind the line of willows looks coarse and uncomfortable, as if it’s a physically painful barrier blocking me from straying off the path. Gogh used small, delicate strokes to depict the cobblestone road leading to Etten, however he did not fill the road in completely. I feel this was to depict a road covered in dirt and debris, its stone worn down by the vast number of travelers who’ve used their guidance. Seurat’s artwork features Pointillism, the application of precise dots of paint, to create the texture of gentle rolling grass fields that top the cliffs near the beach. Towards the top of the mountain, there are uneven, straight lines, which easily portrays the rough terrain found on the summit.

References

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Post-Impressionism". Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Nov.                2019, https://www.britannica.com/art/Post-Impressionism. Accessed 8 July 2022.



Courthion, Pierre. "Georges Seurat". Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2022,                                                             https://www.britannica.com/biography/Georges-Seurat. Accessed 7 July 2022.

Gascoigne, Laura. “How Pissarro Unified Impressionism.” Apollo Magazine, 18 Apr. 2017, https://www.apollo-magazine.com/pissarro-was-the-unifying-force-behind-impressionism/.

Unknown, Unknown. “George Seurat and Neo-Impressionism.” Metmuseum.org, 2022, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/seni/hd_seni.htm.

Unknown, Unknown. Impressionism, 2022, https://www.nga.gov/features/slideshows/impressionism.html#slide_1.

Unknown, Unknown. “Post-Impressionism.” Metmuseum.org, 2022, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/poim/hd_poim.htm.

Unknown, Unknown. “Romanticism Movement Overview.” The Art Story, 2022, https://www.theartstory.org/movement/romanticism/.

Unknown, Unknown. “Top 10 Impressionist Paintings: ImpressionistArts.” ImpressionistArts.com, Tim, 22 Mar. 2022, https://impressionistarts.com/top-10-impressionist-paintings.