Art History Friday

The Post-Impressionists
Post-Impressionism
1886: last Impressionist
exhibition
Some artists began to argue
that subject matter should be
more important - became the
Post-Impressionists
Wide range of artistic styles
All responding to Impressionism
Artists exploring their own style
Painting became less realistic
Two forms: Structured and
Paul Cezanne, Pyramid of Skulls
Expressive
Georges Seurat
Structured
Born 1859, Died 1891
Interested in the
scientific nature of color
and light
Invented the technique
known as pointillism
Pointillism involves
placing small dots of
color next to each other.
The viewers eye mixes
them together.
Georges Seurat, Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte
Paul Cezanne
Structured
Born 1839, Died 1906
The father of abstract painting
Broke down his paintings into simple forms
and areas of color
Interested in the basic geometric shapes of
natural forms
Worked in isolation in Southern France
Died of pneumonia after painting in a
thunderstorm for hours
Paul Cezanne,
Mont Saint-Victoire
Paul Gauguin
Expressive
Born 1848, Died 1903
Experimented with color in painting
Worked as a stockbroker but was
unsuccessful, eventually left to paint full
time
Influenced by folk art and Japanese prints
Moved to Tahiti, where he lived among
locals and painted them
Primitivism: the belief that primitive
societies are morally better or preferable to
civilized societies
Died of a suspected morphine overdose
Paul Gauguin, Tahitian Women on the Beach
Vincent van Gogh
Expressive
Born 1853, Died 1890
Created over 2,100 artworks
Unsuccessful and emotionally
unstable during his lifetime -
considered a madman and a failure
Now, one of the most celebrated
artists of all time
Known for expressive brushstrokes,
thick paint, and vibrant colors
Died of suicide (debated)
Vincent van Gogh,
Starry Night