Today’s lecture was a review of the “isms” and styles covered during the past four weeks: realism, impressionism, post-impressionism, symbolism, art nouveau, expressionism, and fauvism. Additionally, the importance and impact of the new medium of photography was integrated into the review. All styles that comprise what we call modernism.

The review also focused on how to write for the assessment using basic techniques to focus on what is important in answering questions about specific works, styles. and comparison/contrasts of diverse styles and works.

The first exam will be Wednesday, October 1.

Chapter 7 was the subject of this class covering the style known as fauvism: the first avant-garde style of the 20th century. We focused on two artists that illustrate this colorful, painterly style: Andre Derain and Henri Matisse.

Andre Derain, "The Mountains at Collioure" 1905

We discussed how the work of these artists were a link between the impressionists and the post-impressionists. Further we alluded to how this style with its free use of color, loose brushwork, and simplified subject matter would be highly influential on the expressionists.

Henri Matisse, "The Red Madras Headress" 1907

We also had a sidebar discussion about the marketing of art and the importance of money and how that all influences how artists and works of art become well-known.

This concluded the first quarter of the course with the first assessment on Wednesday, October 2.

Viewings:

• Slides from Lecture 07

Readings:

• Chapter 7: Fauvism

This lecture wrapped up impressionism with the work of Degas and discussing how his work illustrated new approaches to composition influenced by the photographic image.

Edgar Degas, "The Tub" 1886

We then briefly looked at some of the artistic trends in 19th-century America (and how they differed from what was going on in European art) by discussing the work of William Harnett, the Hudson River School, Winslow Homer, Thomas Eakins , and Henry Ossawa Tanner.

Thomas Cole, "The Oxbow" 1836

Then we began our discussion of the four main artists who make up what is called post-impressionism by looking first at the work of Georges Seurat and his work that combines the influence of impressionism with a more scientific approach of how color is seen by the human eye.

Georges Seurat, "La Grande Jatte" 1884-6

Next lecture we will continue our discussions of the post-impressionists.

Viewings:

• Slides from Lecture 04

Readings:

• Chapter 2: Realism; Impressionism; and Early Photography
• Chapter 3: Post-impressionism

Lecture 03 began (as all lectures will do) with a quick review of the previous class lecture. Then we took a whirlwind tour of some of the prominent artists of the mid- to late-19th century and the major styles of realism and impressionism.

We looked at and discussed Courbet’s Burial at Ornans that we previously viewed in the very first lecture and how it illustrated the style of realism.

The discussion then led us into the romantic concept of the artist as the rebel who flouts the rules and conventions creating controversial uproars in the art world. Here we focused on two of the most controversial works of Manet, especially his work Luncheon on the Grass.

Eduoard Manet, "Luncheon on the Grass" 1863

We then moved on to impressionism specifically the work of Monet and his objective approach to capturing light.

Claude Monet, "The Bridge at Argenteuil" 1874

Important throughout this lecture is in how artists are increasingly concerned with the formal elements of art such as composition (highly influenced by the photographic image) and allowing the materials used in their creation more visibility. Many artists are beginning to embrace the concept that they are working (at least with painting) on a two-dimensional surface with paint and canvas. This is significant to the birth of modernism.

Next lecture will delve further into the work of the impressionists, the continuing influences of photography, Degas, and 19th century art in America.

Viewings:

• Slides from Lecture 03

Readings:

• Chapter 2: Realism; Impressionism; and Early Photography

Lecture 02 set the historical stage for art in the mid-19th century. After providing a brief summary of the social and cultural atmosphere, we discussed the two primary stylistic influences at work during this period: neoclassicism and romanticism as well as the influence of the (art) academies.

After some comparisons of the neoclassical and romantic styles, we viewed a small selection of the work of William-Adolphe Bouguereau who was probably the most famous of the “academic style” artists of the time.

We then moved into an overview of the advent of photography and discussed how this new invention influenced/changed the traditional role of the artist.

Joseph Niepce's photograph from 1826

This was followed by a look at the work of Daumier and the new “realism” in art.

Honore Daumier's "Third-Class Carriage", 1862

Next lecture will delve further into the work of Courbet and early impressionism.

Viewings:

• Slides from Lecture 02

Readings:

• Chapter 2: Realism; Impressionism; and Early Photography