post-impressionism Flashcards
artists
Vincent Van Gogh
Paul Cezanne
Paul Gauguin
post-impressionism
- v loose term
- does not define a movement
- groups together ground breaking artists working in France after Impressionism movements peak
- artists worked independently + did not view themselves as part of a collective movement
- abandoned naturalism for own personal art + expressed emotions
- artists influenced generations of artists + laid foundations for some mayor movements of 20th century (expressionism, cubism, fauvism)
Vincent Van Gogh birth and death
(1853-1890)
Vincent Van Gogh - influenced by
Rembrandt
Pic
Vincent Van Gogh - themes
landscapes
still lives
portraits
Background
- son of a dutch painter
- worked as art dealer + lay missionary
- became artist at age 27
- art career lased 10 yrs
- suffered from mental health issues
- brother Theo supported him financially
- died by suicide
Personal style + techniques
- experimented w/ Impressionism + Pointilism
- developed style in Paris
- style blossomed in Arles
- strong quick brushstrokes creating rhythm + vitality
- Impasto
- strong contrasts of bold colours - express emotions
- simple, flat, colourful shapes
- strong expressive line
journey across Europe
moved from: Holland to Paris to Arles
The Potato Eaters - subject matter
- family of Dutch peasants + meal of potatoes
- influenced by Millet’s paintings of peasants
The Potato Eaters - composition
- 5 peasants around table
- harsh reality of their existence shown on weathered faces + rough hands (from labouring in fields)
- light from oil lamp focuses painting on people
- foreground: a peasant w/ back to viewer at centre (includes viewer), one in side profile, 3 in front at 3/4 view
- lamp located above + table in centre
- Bg: v. dark, can slightly make out some windows
- woman in centre cropped like in a photograph
The Potato Eaters - light/colour
- light focuses painting on people
- glaze of dull colour over bg. Contrast between yellow-ish lamplight to foreground + grim bg
- dark earthy colours typical of his early works
- one artificial light on top centre
- Greens + blues in shadows
The Potato Eaters - technique/style
- loose style, not perfectly polished
- uses dabs of colour
- quick brushstrokes
Paris + Arles
- Paris - saw Impressionist paintings + influenced by their light + colour
- Painted large no. of self-portraits
- Moved to Arles (South of France) to study the light
Self Portrait with Bandaged ear and pipe - year
1889
Self Portrait with Bandaged ear and pipe - bg
- invited Gauguin to South France, soon began to quarrel. One night, threatened Gauguin w/ razor
- deeply remorseful, cut off part of his own ear
Self Portrait with Bandaged ear and pipe - subject matter
- self portrait, after episode where he cut off part of own ear
- smoking pipe, shows bandaged ear
- shows himself as an imperfect person
Self Portrait with Bandaged ear and pipe - composition
- self portrait from shoulders up, against simple bg
- portrait fills 2/3 of painting
- 3/4 view portrait
- wearing large green overcoat / jacket over shirt
- hat w/ furry texture
- white bandage covering right ear
- divided bg into 2 plain areas of colour
Self Portrait with Bandaged ear and pipe - light/colour
- complementary colours: green + red, blue + orange
- flat colours
- tints of blues on hat, coat
- uses orange, blue, red, green, white
Self Portrait with Bandaged ear and pipe - techniqe/style
- dark outlines (similar to Gauguin)
- loose style, not perfectly polished
- dabs of colour
- quick brushstrokes
The Starry Night - year
1889
The Starry Night - bg
- people of Arles signed petition saying he was dangerous
- move to asylum in Saint-Rémy + began painting in hospital gardens
The Starry Night - subject matter
- view outside his window in asylum at Saint-Rémy
- painted it during day (from sketches + memory)
- cypress tree, view of village + night sky and moon
- reflect his inner turmoil or response to magic of star-filled sky
The Starry Night - technique/style
- loose style, not perfectly polished
- dabs of colour
- quick brush strokes, swirling brush strokes
- strong expressive line
- simple, flat, colourful shapes
The Starry Night - composition
- dark vertical cypress tree - prominent place in composition. Unites pic by connecting sky w/ landscape
- relative calm in village contrasts w/ rapid, swirling brushstrokes in night sky
- sky takes up most of painting, about 2/3
- moon in top right corner
- village in bottom of piece, roof of houses seen
- stars amongst night sky
- long cypress tree extends from bottom edge to nearly top edge
The Starry Night - light/colour
- mostly used blue
- yellow stars + moon contrast against blue sky
- dark cypress tree contrasted against lighter colours/bright sky
- warm oranges in houses contrast + complement predominantly blue colour scheme
- bright/vibrant sky
- colours used: blue, yellow, orange, green, brown, red, black
