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One thing I thought was really interesting during this unit is how Earthworks, like Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty, connect art with nature in unique and meaningful ways. These works challenge the idea of traditional gallery spaces and remind us that art can exist outside, change over time, and still hold significance. This insight has helped me appreciate the beauty in natural processes and how creation can be collaborative with the earth itself. I can use this perspective to become a better disciple of Jesus Christ by respecting and caring for the earth as one of God’s creations, seeing it not just as a resource, but as a sacred space.

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Ideas to Know:

Breaking Rules!

Abstract Expressionism (two branches—Action Painting and Color Field Painting):

Influenced by Surrealism

Art about emotion, myth, universal forces

Brought attention to the paint on the canvas (rather than hiding)

Brought NYC to the center of the art world

Post-Painterly Abstraction

“Stain painting”

Post Abstraction

“Combines”

Installation Art

Art as experience

Not collectable

Performance Art

Art as life

Improvisation; unpredictable

Pop Art:

Reaction to elitism of Abstract Expressionism; unemotional
Similar to Dada in love of ready-made, common objects

Sought a mass-produced look—accessible

Interested in mass media and pop culture

Minimalism:

Unemotional

Reduced to most basic parts

“What you see is what you see”—denial of meaning

Earthworks:

The earth is the canvas

Interactive

Out of the gallery—less elitist

Not collectable

Activist Art:

Art as political statement

Quizzes:

Escape Room Quiz: Postwar to Postmodern

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Ideas to Know:

Dada: Reaction against World War I; focus on absurdity, element of chance
(Enlightenment values of logic and reason only lead to war); challenged status quo in art, culture, etc.

Surrealism: 1930’s; element of chance (like Dada); randomness related to dream states; juxtaposition of unrelated objects; exploration of the subconscious mind; dream images; stream of consciousness

De Stijl (The Style): Dutch movement; sought to create utopian environment through geometric abstraction; sought universal order that would make nationalism obsolete;
also called International Style and Neo-Plasticism

Regionalism: Representational; local (Midwest) imagery

Quizzes:

Escape Room Quiz: Art Between the Wars

Kahoot! (Art in America between the wars)

Chapter 29: Postwar to Postmodernism

Works to Know:

Abstract Expressionism: Action Painting

Jackson Pollock Autumn Rhythm: Number 30. 1950

Abstract Expressionism: Color Field Painting

Mark Rothko No. 61 (Rust and Blue), 1953

Post-Painterly Abstraction

Helen Frankenthaler. Mountains and Sea. 1952

Postwar Sculpture

Louise Nevelson. Sky Cathedral—Moon Garden Plus One. 1957–60

Post Abstraction

Robert Rauschenberg, Bed, 1955

Jasper Johns. Three Flags. 1958

Installation Art

Allan Kaprow, Yard, 1961

Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Mirrors, 2017

Performance Art

Joseph Beuys, How to Explain Paintings to a Dead Hare, Nov. 26, 1965

Pop Art

Roy Lichtenstein. Drowning Girl. 1963

Andy Warhol. Campbell’s Soup Cans. 1961–64

Minimalism

Ellsworth Kelly. Red Blue Green. 1963

Frank Stella. Empress of India. 1965

Donald Judd, Untitled. 1969

Earthworks

Robert Smithson. Spiral  Jetty, Great Salt Lake, Utah. 1970

Christo and Jeanne-Claude.  Running Fence Sonoma and Marin counties, California. 1972–76

Activist Art

Betye Saar, The Liberation of Aunt Jemima, 1972

Feminist Art

Judy Chicago. The Dinner Party. 1979

Video Art

Nam June Paik. Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S. 1995

Installation Art

Yayoi Kusama, A Dream I Dreamed, 2014

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Ideas to Know:

Breaking rules

Looking for new inspiration: African Art, Cycladic Art, Folk Art, children’s art, stained glass

Fauvism: removing the naturalistic description function from color

Analytic Cubism: deconstructing space; showing more than one viewpoint at the same time; influence of Cezanne

Synthetic Cubism: building up images; use of collage; “real” vs. illusion

German Expressionism: Die Brücke: dissatisfaction with industrial modern life; looking to German past with woodblock prints

German Expressionism: Der Blaue Reiter: looking for spirituality and “universal truths;”

Abstract art vs. non-objective art, non-narrative art, non-representational art

Italian Futurism: sought to reject the past and bring Italy into the future; interest in new technology, speed, and movement

Russian Suprematism: “supremacy of feeling;” pro-Russian revolution; wanted to create a new vocabulary and language of art removed from the elitist past

Quizzes:

Escape Room Quiz: Early Modernism

Escape Room Quiz (practice): Cubism

Chapter 28: Art Between the Wars

Works to Know:

Dada:

Hans Arp, Squares Arranged According to the Laws of Chance, 1916-17

Marcel Duchamp. Fountain. 1917

Raoul Hausmann. Mechanical Head (Spirit of the Age). ca. 1920

Hannah Höch, Cut with the Kitchen Knife through the Beer-Belly of the Weimar    Republic, 1919

Käthe Kollwitz. Never Again War! 1924

Surrealism:

Joan Miró. Composition. 1933

René Magritte, The Treachery of Images, 1928-29

Salvador Dalí. The Persistence of Memory. 1931

Man Ray. The Gift. 1921 (1958 replica)

Meret Oppenheim. Object (Luncheon in Fur). 1936

Organic Sculpture of the 30’s:

Alexander Calder. Lobster Trap and Fish Tail. 1939

Henry Moore. Recumbent Figure. 1938

De Stijl:

Piet Mondrian. Composition (Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow). 1930

American Art between the Wars

Georgia O’Keeffe, Yellow Calla, 1926

Georgia O’Keeffe, Deer’s Skull with Pedernal, 1936

Stuart Davis, Hot Still-Scape for Six Colors - 7th Avenue Style. 1940.

American Regionalism

Grant Wood, American Gothic, 1930

Harlem Renaissance

“In the North the Negro Had Better Educational Facilities,” from the Migration of the Negro series, 1940-41

Mexican Art between the Wars

Diego Rivera, Flower Carrier, 1935

Frida Kahlo, The Two Fridas, 1939

Protest Art

Pablo Picasso. Guernica. 1937

Social Realism

Edward Hopper, Night Hawks, 1942

Dorothea Lange. Migrant Mother, California. 1936

Precisionism

Charles Demuth, My Egypt, 1927

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Art 202 Test 6 Study Guide

Works to Know:

Chapter 27: The Modernist Revolution

Works to Know:

Early Modern Sculpture

Constantin Brancusi. Bird in Space. 1928 (unique cast)

Fauvism

Henri Matisse. Femme au chapeau (Woman with a Hat). 1905

Henri Matisse. The Red Studio. 1911

Cubism

Pablo Picasso. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (The Young Ladies of Avignon). 1907 (Pre-Cubism)

Georges Braque, The Portuguese, 1911 (Analytical Cubism)

Pablo Picasso. Guitar, Sheet Music, and Wine Glass. 1912 (Synthetic Cubism)

German Expressionism: Die Brücke

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. Street, Dresden. 1908

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Street, Berlin, 1913

German Expressionism: Der Blaue Reiter

Vasily Kandinsky, Improvisation 28 (second version), 1912

Vasily Kandinsky. Sketch I for   “Composition VII.” 1913

Paul Klee. The Niesen. 1915

Paul Klee, Twittering Machine, 1922

Italian Futurism

Giacomo Balla, Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash, 1912

Umberto Boccioni. Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, 1913

Responses to Modernism

Marcel Duchamp. Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2. 1912

Marcel Duchamp. Bicycle Wheel, 1913

Marc Chagall. I and the Village. 1911

Giorgio de Chirico. Mystery and Melancholy of a Street. 1914

Russian Suprematism

Kazimir Malevich. Suprematist Composition: Airplane Flying. 1915 (dated 1914)

Kazimir Malevich, White on White, 1918

Ideas to Know:

Breaking rules

Looking for new inspiration: African Art, Cycladic Art, Folk Art, children’s art, stained glass

Fauvism: removing the naturalistic description function from color

Analytic Cubism: deconstructing space; showing more than one viewpoint at the same time; influence of Cezanne

Synthetic Cubism: building up images; use of collage; “real” vs. illusion

German Expressionism: Die Brücke: dissatisfaction with industrial modern life; looking to German past with woodblock prints

German Expressionism: Der Blaue Reiter: looking for spirituality and “universal truths;”

Abstract art vs. non-objective art, non-narrative art, non-representational art

Italian Futurism: sought to reject the past and bring Italy into the future; interest in new technology, speed, and movement

Russian Suprematism: “supremacy of feeling;” pro-Russian revolution; wanted to create a new vocabulary and language of art removed from the elitist past

Quizzes:

Escape Room Quiz: Early Modernism

Escape Room Quiz (practice): Cubism

Art 202 Test 6 Study Guide

Works to Know:

Chapter 27: The Modernist Revolution

Works to Know:

Early Modern Sculpture

Constantin Brancusi. Bird in Space. 1928 (unique cast)

Fauvism

Henri Matisse. Femme au chapeau (Woman with a Hat). 1905

Henri Matisse. The Red Studio. 1911

Cubism

Pablo Picasso. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (The Young Ladies of Avignon). 1907 (Pre-Cubism)

Georges Braque, The Portuguese, 1911 (Analytical Cubism)

Pablo Picasso. Guitar, Sheet Music, and Wine Glass. 1912 (Synthetic Cubism)

German Expressionism: Die Brücke

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. Street, Dresden. 1908

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Street, Berlin, 1913

German Expressionism: Der Blaue Reiter

Vasily Kandinsky, Improvisation 28 (second version), 1912

Vasily Kandinsky. Sketch I for   “Composition VII.” 1913

Paul Klee. The Niesen. 1915

Paul Klee, Twittering Machine, 1922

Italian Futurism

Giacomo Balla, Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash, 1912

Umberto Boccioni. Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, 1913

Responses to Modernism

Marcel Duchamp. Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2. 1912

Marcel Duchamp. Bicycle Wheel, 1913

Marc Chagall. I and the Village. 1911

Giorgio de Chirico. Mystery and Melancholy of a Street. 1914

Russian Suprematism

Kazimir Malevich. Suprematist Composition: Airplane Flying. 1915 (dated 1914)

Kazimir Malevich, White on White, 1918

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Nam June Paik. Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S. 1995

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Nam June Paik. Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S. 1995

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Betye Saar, The Liberation of Aunt Jemima, 1972

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Betye Saar, The Liberation of Aunt Jemima, 1972

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Christo and Jeanne-Claude.  Running Fence Sonoma and Marin counties, California. 1972–76

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Christo and Jeanne-Claude.  Running Fence Sonoma and Marin counties, California. 1972–76

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Robert Smithson. Spiral  Jetty, Great Salt Lake, Utah. 1970

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Robert Smithson. Spiral  Jetty, Great Salt Lake, Utah. 1970

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Andy Warhol. Campbell’s Soup Cans. 1961–64

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Andy Warhol. Campbell’s Soup Cans. 1961–64

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Joseph Beuys, How to Explain Paintings to a Dead Hare, Nov. 26, 1965

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Joseph Beuys, How to Explain Paintings to a Dead Hare, Nov. 26, 1965

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Louise Nevelson. Sky Cathedral—Moon Garden Plus One. 1957–60

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Louise Nevelson. Sky Cathedral—Moon Garden Plus One. 1957–60

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Helen Frankenthaler. Mountains and Sea. 1952

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Helen Frankenthaler. Mountains and Sea. 1952

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Mark Rothko No. 61 (Rust and Blue), 1953

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Mark Rothko No. 61 (Rust and Blue), 1953

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Jackson Pollock Autumn Rhythm: Number 30. 1950

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Jackson Pollock Autumn Rhythm: Number 30. 1950

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Dorothea Lange. Migrant Mother, California. 1936

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Dorothea Lange. Migrant Mother, California. 1936

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“In the North the Negro Had Better Educational Facilities,” from the Migration of the Negro series, 1940-41

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“In the North the Negro Had Better Educational Facilities,” from the Migration of the Negro series, 1940-41

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Stuart Davis, Hot Still-Scape for Six Colors - 7th Avenue Style. 1940.

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Stuart Davis, Hot Still-Scape for Six Colors - 7th Avenue Style. 1940.

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Georgia O’Keeffe, Deer’s Skull with Pedernal, 1936

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Georgia O’Keeffe, Deer’s Skull with Pedernal, 1936

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Piet Mondrian. Composition (Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow). 1930

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Piet Mondrian. Composition (Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow). 1930

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Alexander Calder. Lobster Trap and Fish Tail. 1939 

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Alexander Calder. Lobster Trap and Fish Tail. 1939 

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Meret Oppenheim. Object (Luncheon in Fur). 1936 

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Meret Oppenheim. Object (Luncheon in Fur). 1936 

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Salvador Dalí. The Persistence of Memory. 1931 

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Salvador Dalí. The Persistence of Memory. 1931 

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René Magritte, The Treachery of Images, 1928-29

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René Magritte, The Treachery of Images, 1928-29

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Hannah Höch, Cut with the Kitchen Knife through the Beer-Belly of the Weimar 	Republic, 1919

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Hannah Höch, Cut with the Kitchen Knife through the Beer-Belly of the Weimar 	Republic, 1919

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Raoul Hausmann. Mechanical Head (Spirit of the Age). ca. 1920 

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Raoul Hausmann. Mechanical Head (Spirit of the Age). ca. 1920 

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Hans Arp, Squares Arranged According to the Laws of Chance, 1916-17

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Hans Arp, Squares Arranged According to the Laws of Chance, 1916-17

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Kazimir Malevich. Suprematist Composition: Airplane Flying. 1915 (dated 1914)

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Kazimir Malevich. Suprematist Composition: Airplane Flying. 1915 (dated 1914)

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Giorgio de Chirico. Mystery and Melancholy of a Street. 1914  

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Giorgio de Chirico. Mystery and Melancholy of a Street. 1914  

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Marcel Duchamp. Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2. 1912 

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Marcel Duchamp. Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2. 1912 

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Umberto Boccioni. Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, 1913

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Umberto Boccioni. Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, 1913

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Giacomo Balla, Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash, 1912

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Giacomo Balla, Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash, 1912

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Vasily Kandinsky. Sketch I for   “Composition VII.” 1913 

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Vasily Kandinsky. Sketch I for   “Composition VII.” 1913 

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Vasily Kandinsky, Improvisation 28 (second version), 1912

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Vasily Kandinsky, Improvisation 28 (second version), 1912

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Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Street, Berlin, 1913

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Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Street, Berlin, 1913

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Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. Street, Dresden. 1908 

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Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. Street, Dresden. 1908 

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Pablo Picasso. Guitar, Sheet Music, and Wine Glass. 1912 (Synthetic Cubism)

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Pablo Picasso. Guitar, Sheet Music, and Wine Glass. 1912 (Synthetic Cubism)

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Georges Braque, The Portuguese, 1911 (Analytical Cubism)

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Georges Braque, The Portuguese, 1911 (Analytical Cubism)

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Pablo Picasso. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (The Young Ladies of Avignon). 1907 (Pre-Cubism)

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Pablo Picasso. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (The Young Ladies of Avignon). 1907 (Pre-Cubism)

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Henri Matisse. Femme au chapeau (Woman with a Hat). 1905 

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Henri Matisse. Femme au chapeau (Woman with a Hat). 1905 

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Constantin Brancusi. Bird in Space. 1928 (unique cast) 

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Constantin Brancusi. Bird in Space. 1928 (unique cast) 

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historical events and factors that influenced the art

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historical events and factors that influenced the art

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Japanese Prints (Ukiyo-e)

Edo Period Isolation (1603–1868): Japan’s isolation allowed Ukiyo-e to develop independently, reflecting urban life, nature, and beauty.

Rise of the Merchant Class: Affordable woodblock prints catered to the growing middle class, depicting kabuki actors, courtesans, and landscapes.

Nature and Shinto Influence: Reverence for nature shaped iconic prints like The Great Wave and Plum Estate, Kameido.

Japonisme (1860s–1890s): Japanese prints influenced Western artists, particularly Impressionists and Post-Impressionists, through their flattened spaces, bold colors, and asymmetry.

Realism (1840s–1870s)

1848 Revolutions in Europe: Social unrest and demands for reform inspired artists to depict the struggles of the working class (The Stone Breakers, Burial at Ornans).

Industrial Revolution: Rapid industrialization and urbanization influenced Realists to document labor, rural life, and the physical toll on workers.

Photography’s Impact: The rise of photography encouraged artists to focus on truth, accuracy, and unidealized depictions of life.

Haussmann’s Paris Renovation (1850s): Realists like Manet and Degas captured the newly transformed urban environment, modern leisure, and everyday Parisian life.

Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (Mid-19th Century)

Industrial Revolution (1760–1840): The mechanization of society led to nostalgia for pre-industrial craftsmanship, reflected in Pre-Raphaelite art's detailed, handmade quality.

Victorian Morality and Religion: Strong Christian influence shaped themes of morality, redemption, and biblical stories, like Millais’ Christ in the Carpenter’s Shop.

Scientific Advancements and Darwin’s Origin of Species (1859): Shifts in religious views due to scientific developments created tension between faith and reason.

Arts and Crafts Movement (Late 19th Century)

Rejection of Industrialization: A response to mass production, emphasizing traditional craftsmanship and the beauty of everyday objects (e.g., William Morris’ handcrafted designs).

Socialism and Utopian Ideals: Morris and others advocated for equality, fair labor practices, and the idea that beauty should be accessible to all, not just the elite.

Aesthetic Movement (Late 19th Century)

“Art for Art’s Sake” Philosophy: A reaction against moralistic Victorian art, emphasizing beauty, elegance, and sensuality over narrative or moral messages.

British Empire and Global Influences: Increased trade and imperialism brought in Japanese, Middle Eastern, and Asian design motifs, inspiring works by artists like Whistler and Sargent.

Impressionism (1870s–1880s)

Franco-Prussian War (1870–71): Many artists, like Monet, fled to England, influencing their later work.

Rapid Urbanization and Haussmann’s Paris Renovation: Artists captured modern city life (e.g., Gare Saint-Lazare) and leisure activities like café scenes and boating parties.

Advancements in Technology: Portable paint tubes and synthetic pigments allowed plein air painting, contributing to Impressionists’ focus on light, color, and immediacy.

Photography: Inspired Impressionist compositions by cropping scenes and emphasizing spontaneity.

Post-Impressionism (1880s–1900)

Psychological Exploration: Post-Impressionists explored deeper emotional themes, as seen in van Gogh’s Night Café and Starry Night.

Colonial Expansion: Artists like Gauguin sought inspiration from “exotic” non-Western cultures in Tahiti.

Rise of Scientific Color Theory: Influenced Seurat’s pointillism in A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.

Urban Alienation and Isolation: Reflected in works by Toulouse-Lautrec, who depicted the nightlife and loneliness of urban Paris.

Symbolism (1880s–1910s)

Freud’s Theories of the Unconscious: Symbolist artists, like Munch in The Scream, explored anxiety, dreams, and the subconscious.

Decadence and Spirituality: There was a fascination with the mystical, spiritual, and otherworldly, reflecting the era’s disillusionment with rationalism.

Political Turbulence: Growing tensions in Europe, leading to WWI, created an undercurrent of existential dread and decay.

Art Nouveau (1890s–1910s)

Technological Innovations and the Belle Époque: This era of optimism and progress is reflected in Art Nouveau’s sleek, modern designs and the integration of art with everyday life (e.g., Victor Horta’s Tassel House).

Naturalism and Organic Forms: A backlash against industrial harshness, Art Nouveau emphasized flowing lines and nature-inspired motifs, as seen in Alphonse Mucha’s work.

Influence of Global Cultures: Japanese woodblock prints (Japonisme) heavily influenced the sinuous lines and decorative elements of Art Nouveau.

Women’s Liberation Movement: Art Nouveau often idealized feminine beauty, reflecting changing views on women’s roles in society.

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One concept I’ve learned during this unit is how Claude Monet and the Impressionists focused on capturing fleeting moments, light, and atmosphere instead of exact details. This taught me the importance of paying attention to small, beautiful moments in everyday life, even if they seem ordinary. I can use this idea to become a better friend by appreciating and being present in the moment with the people around me.

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Symbolism and Art Nouveau - Compare and Contrast

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Symbolism and Art Nouveau - Compare and Contrast

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Symbolism

Odilon Redon, The Eye Like a Strange Balloon Mounts Toward Infinity, 1878

Dreamlike and surreal, with a floating eye symbolizing vision or the soul.

Uses dark, moody shading to create a mysterious, eerie atmosphere.

Imagery is ambiguous, open to interpretation rather than literal meaning.

Heavy contrasts between light and shadow create a dramatic effect.

Influenced by literature and dreams rather than direct observation.

Early example of Symbolist interest in the subconscious and the unknown.

Henri Rousseau, The Sleeping Gypsy, 1897

Flattened, childlike perspective with little concern for realistic depth.

Soft, rounded forms and simplified shapes create a dreamlike quality.

Unnatural, glowing colors add to the sense of mystery.

The lion and gypsy coexist in a surreal, peaceful moment rather than a violent one.

Emphasizes imagination over realism, rejecting academic traditions.

Stillness and silence enhance the painting’s meditative, symbolic nature.

Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893

Expressive, swirling lines create a sense of anxiety and movement.

Distorted, unnatural colors reflect an emotional, psychological state.

The central figure is simplified into a ghostly, almost faceless form.

Perspective lines lead toward a vanishing point, increasing tension.

The sky and landscape appear alive, mirroring inner turmoil.

Focuses on raw emotion rather than realism or narrative.

Gustav Klimt, The Kiss, 1907–08

Flat, decorative gold background creates a luxurious, otherworldly feel.

Ornate patterns and mosaic-like shapes contrast with the soft human forms.

Sensual embrace symbolizes love, passion, and transcendence.

Figures are partially obscured by patterns, blending into their surroundings.

Mix of realism in the faces with abstraction in the clothing and background.

Influenced by Byzantine art, with a focus on symbolic ornamentation.

Henry Ossawa Tanner, Angels Appearing before the Shepherds, ca. 1910

Soft, glowing light creates a spiritual, ethereal effect.

Figures are depicted in a naturalistic, yet dreamlike manner.

Color palette is muted, emphasizing warmth and divine illumination.

Angelic presence is abstract, represented by light rather than human form.

Blurs the line between the material and spiritual realms.

Captures a quiet, awe-inspiring moment rather than dramatic action.

Auguste Rodin, The Burghers of Calais, 1884–89

Expressive, rough-textured surfaces create a sense of raw emotion.

Figures show despair and resignation rather than heroism.

Unconventional composition places all figures on the same level, without a clear focal point.

Emphasizes individual psychological suffering rather than collective unity.

Hands and faces are exaggerated to enhance expressive power.

Breaks from traditional monumental sculpture by focusing on vulnerability and realism.

Art Nouveau

Victor Horta, Interior Stairwell of the Tassel House, Brussels, 1892–93

Flowing, organic lines mimic natural forms like vines and tendrils.

Decorative ironwork integrates seamlessly with the architecture.

Curving, asymmetrical shapes contrast with rigid classical structures.

Soft lighting and stained glass create a warm, inviting interior.

Fusion of form and function—ornamentation is built into the structure itself.

Emphasizes craftsmanship and fluidity over strict symmetry.

Alphonse Mucha, Dreaming (Reverie), lithograph, 1897

Elegant, sinuous lines frame the female figure in a harmonious composition.

Soft pastel colors create a delicate, dreamlike mood.

Decorative floral motifs and swirling patterns enhance the organic feel.

Idealized, ethereal beauty is central to the work.

Emphasizes design and stylization over realism.

Reflects Art Nouveau’s focus on nature-inspired elegance and sensuality.

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Post-Impressionism - Compare and Contrast

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Post-Impressionism - Compare and Contrast

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Post-Impressionism

Paul Cézanne, Still Life with Apples in a Bowl, 1879–83

Uses geometric simplification, with objects appearing slightly flattened or tilted.

Thick, deliberate brushstrokes emphasize structure rather than realism.

Balanced yet slightly unstable composition, breaking traditional perspective.

Rich, earthy color palette with warm oranges, reds, and greens.

Focuses on the physicality of objects rather than just light and shadow.

Marks a transition toward modern abstraction in painting.

Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire, ca. 1885–87

Loose, blocky brushstrokes create a sense of solidity in the landscape.

Shifts in color and tone suggest depth without strict linear perspective.

Muted blues, greens, and yellows evoke natural harmony.

Uses layering of color rather than fine detail to define form.

Repeats elements of the mountain and trees to unify the composition.

Moves away from fleeting moments, emphasizing permanence in nature.

Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire Seen from Bibemus Quarry, ca. 1900

Increased abstraction, with the mountain appearing more fragmented and geometric.

Bright, saturated colors contrast with the earlier, more muted palette.

Brushwork is bold and directional, guiding the eye through the landscape.

Less atmospheric perspective, making all elements feel equally important.

Influenced later Cubism with its breakdown of forms into simple shapes.

Focuses more on structure and order than on momentary visual effects.

Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, 1884–86

Uses pointillism, with tiny dots of color blending optically from a distance.

Rigid, structured composition with carefully arranged figures.

Highly organized, almost mathematical approach to color and light.

Balanced contrast between warm and cool tones.

Static, frozen quality compared to the movement seen in Impressionist works.

Carefully planned, with figures appearing like statues rather than spontaneous moments.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, At the Moulin Rouge, 1892

Cropped, off-center composition influenced by photography and Japanese prints.

Dark, moody atmosphere with deep blues and sickly greens.

Dramatic artificial lighting creates harsh shadows and highlights.

Distorted figures emphasize energy and decadence of nightlife.

Brushstrokes are looser and more expressive than in earlier works.

Uses strong diagonals and tilted perspective to add movement.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, La Goulue, 1891

Bold, flat colors with minimal shading, inspired by Japanese woodblock prints.

Strong graphic quality, designed for mass reproduction as a poster.

Simplified, exaggerated forms emphasize movement and personality.

Uses outlines and contour lines rather than modeling with light and shadow.

Captures the lively spirit of Parisian nightlife in a single image.

Background is secondary, with focus entirely on the energetic figure.

Vincent van Gogh, Night Café, 1888

Strong use of contrasting colors (red, green, yellow) to create tension.

Swirling, expressive brushstrokes heighten the emotional impact.

Distorted perspective makes the scene feel claustrophobic and unsettling.

Harsh artificial lighting contrasts with deep shadows.

Captures the loneliness and alienation of the setting.

Uses color symbolically rather than realistically to convey mood.

Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night, 1889

Energetic, swirling brushstrokes create a dreamlike quality.

Vibrant blues and yellows create a striking color contrast.

Sky dominates the composition, making nature feel alive and dynamic.

Heavy, textured application of paint adds to the emotional intensity.

Mix of imagination and observation—does not aim for realistic accuracy.

Expressive movement contrasts with the stillness of the village below.

Paul Gauguin, The Vision after the Sermon, 1888

Bold, flat color fields with little shading, influenced by Japanese prints.

Bright reds and deep blacks create a dramatic, otherworldly effect.

Separation of reality and vision, with the biblical scene in a dreamlike space.

Figures are simplified and stylized rather than detailed.

Strong outlines emphasize shape and structure over naturalism.

Moves away from direct observation, focusing on imagination and spirituality.

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Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, The Arts and Crafts Movement, The Aesthetic Movement - Compare and Contrast

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Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, The Arts and Crafts Movement, The Aesthetic Movement - Compare and Contrast

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Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood

William Holman Hunt, The Awakening Conscience, 1853

Highly detailed and symbolic, typical of Pre-Raphaelite style.

Strong contrast between light and shadow to emphasize spiritual awakening.

Realistic yet idealized depiction of figures and objects.

Vibrant, jewel-like colors enhance drama and emotion.

Rich with moral symbolism—objects in the room hint at the woman’s situation.

Narrative composition tells a story of redemption and enlightenment.

John Everett Millais, Christ in the Carpenter’s Shop, 1849–50

Intense realism with attention to textures, wood grains, and human expressions.

Religious subject placed in a highly naturalistic, everyday setting.

Vivid, bright colors inspired by early Renaissance paintings.

Symbolism embedded in objects—wood foreshadows the Crucifixion.

Carefully balanced composition with figures forming a triangular arrangement.

Rejected traditional classical idealism in favor of lifelike representation.

The Arts and Crafts Movement

William Morris (Morris & Co.), Green Dining Room (William Morris Room), 1867

Handcrafted, intricate floral patterns emphasizing natural beauty.

Rich, earthy color palette dominated by deep greens and warm tones.

Rejects industrial mass production in favor of artisanal craftsmanship.

Strong symmetry and repetition in the decorative elements.

Influenced by medieval and Gothic design traditions.

Emphasizes functionality and beauty equally, blending art and design.

The Aesthetic Movement

James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Nocturne in Black and Gold, ca. 1875

Loose, abstract brushstrokes create a dreamlike, atmospheric effect.

Dark, moody color palette with gold highlights for contrast.

Focuses on beauty and emotion rather than storytelling or realism.

Inspired by Japanese aesthetics, particularly asymmetry and simplicity.

Blurred, almost impressionistic approach to form and detail.

Suggests movement and fleeting moments rather than static composition.

John Singer Sargent, Madame X, 1897

Sharp contrast between the subject’s pale skin and deep black gown.

Smooth, highly polished brushwork gives a photographic realism.

Simple yet dramatic composition focusing on the subject’s pose and presence.

Strong use of lighting to highlight elegance and mystery.

The slightly off-shoulder strap adds sensuality and controversy.

Emphasizes aesthetic beauty and refinement over narrative content.

John Singer Sargent, Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, 1885–86

Soft, glowing light creates an ethereal, twilight atmosphere.

Loose, impressionistic brushwork in flowers and clothing.

Rich, pastel color palette dominated by soft pinks, purples, and yellows.

Captures a fleeting moment of childhood innocence and play.

Composition is balanced yet dynamic, with repeated floral elements.

Light and shadow interplay creates depth and warmth in the scene.

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Impressionism

Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise, 1872

Loose, visible brushstrokes create a sense of movement and spontaneity.

Soft, hazy atmosphere with minimal detail enhances the ephemeral quality.

Focus on light and color rather than precise forms.

Cool blues and grays contrast with the warm orange sun for visual impact.

Water reflects light with broken brushstrokes, adding texture.

Captures a fleeting moment rather than a structured composition.

Claude Monet, The Gare Saint-Lazare: Arrival of a Train, 1877

Thick, layered brushstrokes capture movement and steam.

Industrial subject matter contrasts with traditional landscapes.

Light and smoke blur solid forms, making edges indistinct.

High-key color palette with blues, whites, and yellows creates vibrancy.

Perspective lines of the station lead the viewer’s eye into the depth.

Focuses on atmosphere and energy rather than fine details.

Claude Monet, Rouen Cathedral, 1893

Series approach—same subject painted in different light conditions.

Thick, impasto brushstrokes make the surface tactile.

Colors shift based on the time of day and weather, showing perception over realism.

Architectural details dissolve into light and color.

Close-up cropping removes context, emphasizing texture and atmosphere.

Captures the play of sunlight rather than the building’s structure.

Auguste Renoir, Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette, 1876

Loose, fluid brushwork gives the scene liveliness.

Dappled light filtering through trees creates a flickering effect.

Vibrant color palette with warm, golden tones enhances the joyful mood.

Figures blend into their surroundings, emphasizing movement.

Snapshot-like composition feels spontaneous and immersive.

Social gathering depicted with warmth and informality.

Auguste Renoir, Luncheon of the Boating Party, 1881

Soft, feathery brushstrokes enhance the sense of lightness.

Strong diagonal arrangement guides the eye through the scene.

Loose, impressionistic style contrasts with detailed facial expressions.

Harmonious color palette of warm peaches, blues, and greens.

Natural light reflects off surfaces, unifying the composition.

Celebrates leisure and middle-class social life.

Camille Pissarro, Climbing Path, L’Hermitage, Pontoise, 1875

Short, choppy brushstrokes give texture to the landscape.

Earthy, natural tones capture a rural setting.

Winding path leads the viewer’s eye through the painting.

Figures are small, blending naturally into their environment.

Focuses on everyday life rather than dramatic subjects.

Light is scattered, creating soft shadows and highlights.

Berthe Morisot, Cradle, 1872

Delicate, flowing brushstrokes create a soft, maternal feel.

Subdued pastel colors enhance the intimate atmosphere.

Composition framed by the cradle creates a protective space.

Light and shadow play subtly across fabric and skin.

Expresses quiet contemplation rather than movement.

Subject matter focuses on femininity and domestic life.

Berthe Morisot, Summer’s Day, ca. 1879

Soft, feathery brushstrokes suggest movement in the water.

Pastel hues of blues, greens, and pinks evoke a light, airy feel.

Figures are loosely defined, blending into their surroundings.

Composition is slightly asymmetrical, making it feel casual.

Highlights leisure and relaxation in an outdoor setting.

Light is fragmented across the surface, creating a shimmering effect.

Mary Cassatt, The Child’s Bath, 1891–92

Bold outlines and flat color areas influenced by Japanese prints.

Gentle brushstrokes and soft pastels create warmth.

Intimate, close-up composition emphasizes mother-child bond.

Cropped perspective enhances immediacy and focus on figures.

Patterns and fabrics are rendered with great attention to texture.

Focuses on maternal care, a frequent subject in Cassatt’s work.

Mary Cassatt, In the Loge, 1878

Darker, richer color palette compared to many Impressionist works.

Strong contrast between light and shadow creates depth.

Woman actively observing rather than being observed—a rare subject perspective.

Diagonal composition adds movement and energy.

Influenced by photography with its cropped framing.

Urban subject matter reflects modern social life.

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Japanese Prints and Realism - Compare and Contrast

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Japanese Prints and Realism - Compare and Contrast

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Japanese Prints

Kitagawa Utamaro, Naniwa Okita Admiring Herself in a Mirror, ca. 1790–95

Uses delicate, flowing lines and soft colors to emphasize elegance.

Focuses on a single figure in an intimate, everyday moment.

Flat composition with little shading, creating a stylized aesthetic.

Emphasizes beauty and refinement rather than drama or movement.

Cropped framing and asymmetry give a spontaneous, modern feel.

Decorative patterns and textures enhance visual interest without deep space.

Katsushika Hokusai, The Great Wave, from Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, c. 1830-32

Uses bold, curving lines to create a sense of power and motion.

Dramatic composition with crashing waves leading toward Mount Fuji.

Strong contrast between dark blue water and white foam for visual impact.

Dynamic, asymmetrical layout with diagonal movement.

Highly stylized and exaggerated wave forms give an almost abstract quality.

Prussian blue pigment creates a striking, vibrant color palette.

Utagawa Hiroshige, Plum Estate, Kameido, from 100 Famous Views of Edo, 1857

Strong foreground element (tree branches) frames the scene.

Uses vibrant color gradients to suggest atmosphere and depth.

Flat, simplified shapes focus on pattern and composition rather than realism.

Cropped composition influenced by Japanese aesthetics and later Impressionism.

Emphasizes mood and seasonality rather than narrative.

Delicate balance between natural elements and man-made structures.

Realism

Gustave Courbet, Burial at Ornans, 1849–50

Uses dark, earthy colors and heavy brushstrokes to emphasize realism.

Large, horizontal composition mimics historical paintings but focuses on ordinary people.

Depicts figures with individualized, unidealized faces.

Shows a realistic, somber funeral scene without dramatic gestures.

Foreground and background are equally detailed, rejecting traditional depth.

Emphasizes the mundane rather than the heroic.

Gustave Courbet, The Stone Breakers, 1849

Uses rough, textured brushstrokes to create a gritty feel.

Muted, neutral color palette enhances the harshness of labor.

Closed composition traps figures within rocky surroundings, emphasizing hardship.

No idealization—clothing is tattered, faces are obscured.

Depicts unheroic labor instead of grand or noble work.

Lacks dramatic lighting or a focal point, making it feel observational.

Rosa Bonheur, Plowing in the Nivernais, 1849

Uses precise, smooth brushstrokes to capture realistic textures.

Large-scale composition elevates rural life to a historical grandeur.

Carefully arranged diagonal movement leads the eye through the scene.

Shows admiration for both nature and human labor.

Soft, natural light emphasizes realism without theatrical effects.

Detailed rendering of animals, showing scientific accuracy.

Édouard Manet, The Luncheon on the Grass, 1863

Uses loose, visible brushstrokes, rejecting traditional smoothness.

Flat composition, with little shading, making the figures seem cut out.

Bold, unnatural contrast between nude woman and clothed men.

No clear narrative—challenges the viewer’s expectations.

Modern setting and casual poses contrast with its reference to Renaissance art.

Lack of perspective and depth creates an intentionally disjointed space.

Edgar Degas, The Dance Class, 1885

Uses soft, pastel colors and loose brushwork to capture movement.

Off-center, asymmetrical composition reflects spontaneity.

Focuses on behind-the-scenes realism rather than idealized ballet.

Cropped framing, influenced by photography and Japanese prints.

Figures appear natural and unposed rather than staged.

Light and shadow play creates depth and atmosphere.

Thomas Eakins, Max Schmitt in a Single Scull, 1871

Uses smooth, blended brushstrokes for a naturalistic effect.

Clear, crisp lighting enhances realism and detail.

Precise perspective creates a strong sense of depth.

Balanced, horizontal composition mirrors the calmness of the water.

Focuses on an individual’s quiet moment of athleticism rather than drama.

Meticulous attention to anatomy and movement, reflecting scientific observation.

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Symbolism

Odilon Redon, The Eye Like a Strange Balloon Mounts Toward Infinity, 1878

A lithograph that exemplifies Symbolist fascination with dreams, the unconscious, and the fantastic.

The floating eye suggests themes of surveillance, omniscience, and spiritual transcendence.

The bizarre, hallucinatory imagery reflects Redon’s interest in the irrational and the unknown.

Influenced by Edgar Allan Poe and the darker aspects of Romanticism.

The monochromatic tones enhance the eerie, otherworldly atmosphere.

Redon sought to depict inner visions rather than external reality, anticipating later Surrealism.

The work embodies the Symbolist rejection of rationalism in favor of mysticism and the subconscious.

Henri Rousseau, The Sleeping Gypsy, 1897

A mysterious, dreamlike scene featuring a sleeping figure, a lion, and a desert landscape.

The flat, stylized forms reflect Rousseau’s self-taught, “naïve” painting style.

Despite its apparent simplicity, the painting evokes themes of vulnerability, solitude, and the unconscious.

The lion’s passive stance contrasts with its symbolic association with danger and predation.

The muted, earthy color palette enhances the painting’s tranquil, surreal atmosphere.

Rousseau’s work was admired by avant-garde artists for its originality and imaginative power.

The painting’s ambiguous narrative invites multiple interpretations, reflecting the Symbolist emphasis on mystery and symbolism.

Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893

One of the most iconic works in Western art, symbolizing existential angst and psychological turmoil.

The swirling sky, distorted landscape, and figure’s open-mouthed scream create an overwhelming sense of anxiety.

The painting was inspired by Munch’s personal experiences of fear, illness, and grief.

Part of Munch’s Frieze of Life series, which explores themes of love, death, and alienation.

Munch’s use of bold colors and exaggerated forms heightens the emotional intensity of the scene.

The figure’s androgyny and skeletal appearance contribute to its universality and timelessness.

This work was highly influential on later Expressionist artists, who sought to convey inner emotional states through distortion and abstraction.

Gustav Klimt, The Kiss, 1907–08

A masterpiece of the Viennese Secession and a key example of Klimt’s “Golden Phase.”

The lovers are enveloped in a richly patterned, gold-leafed cloak, symbolizing unity and transcendence.

The flattened, decorative surface reflects the influence of Byzantine mosaics and Art Nouveau design.

The painting blends sensuality and spirituality, evoking themes of love, desire, and intimacy.

Klimt’s use of contrasting patterns (rectangular for the male figure, circular for the female) enhances the sense of individuality within unity.

The golden background gives the scene a timeless, ethereal quality.

The Kiss reflects Klimt’s fascination with the erotic, the mystical, and the interplay between the sacred and the profane.

Henry Ossawa Tanner, Angels Appearing before the Shepherds, ca. 1910

A luminous, visionary depiction of the biblical Annunciation to the shepherds.

Tanner’s use of light, with the glowing angels contrasted against the dark, shadowy landscape, creates a dramatic, spiritual atmosphere.

The painting reflects Tanner’s deep religious faith and his interest in exploring spiritual themes.

Tanner’s brushwork is loose and painterly, reflecting the influence of Impressionism.

As an African American artist, Tanner broke racial barriers by gaining international recognition for his work.

The work conveys a sense of awe, wonder, and divine presence.

Tanner’s treatment of biblical subjects emphasizes human emotion and realism, distinguishing him from more traditional religious painters.

Auguste Rodin, The Burghers of Calais, 1884–89

A powerful, emotionally charged sculpture commemorating a historical event during the Hundred Years’ War.

The six figures, representing the burghers who volunteered to sacrifice themselves to save the city of Calais, display individual expressions of despair, fear, and resignation.

Rodin broke with classical traditions by depicting the figures as ordinary men rather than heroic, idealized warriors.

The heavy, exaggerated drapery and distorted forms heighten the emotional intensity of the piece.

The sculpture’s ground-level placement invites viewers to engage directly with the figures, enhancing its emotional impact.

Rodin’s expressive modeling of clay surfaces creates a sense of movement and vitality.

The work reflects the Symbolist emphasis on psychological depth and the exploration of human suffering and sacrifice.

Art Nouveau

Victor Horta, Interior Stairwell of the Tassel House, Brussels, 1892–93

A key example of Art Nouveau architecture, known for its organic, flowing lines and innovative use of materials.

The stairwell features curving ironwork, mosaic floors, and decorative stained glass, creating a sense of fluidity and elegance.

Horta’s design integrates structure and ornament, blurring the line between architecture and decoration.

The use of natural forms, such as plant-like curves and tendrils, reflects Art Nouveau’s fascination with nature.

The open-plan layout and use of natural light were revolutionary for their time.

Horta’s work influenced the development of modern architecture, including the later Art Deco movement.

The Tassel House is considered one of the first fully realized examples of Art Nouveau in architecture.

Alphonse Mucha, Dreaming (Reverie), lithograph, 1897

A quintessential example of Art Nouveau poster design, featuring a dreamy, idealized female figure.

Mucha’s intricate linework and flowing, organic forms reflect the influence of Byzantine art and Japanese prints.

The use of decorative floral motifs and soft pastel colors creates a sense of harmony and elegance.

Mucha’s depiction of women as ethereal, otherworldly beings became a hallmark of his style.

The lithograph was created as an advertisement but is considered a work of fine art in its own right.

Mucha’s posters were hugely popular and helped define the visual aesthetic of the Art Nouveau movement.

The work exemplifies the Art Nouveau emphasis on beauty, sensuality, and the integration of art into everyday life.

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Post-Impressionism

Paul Cézanne, Still Life with Apples in a Bowl, 1879–83

Cézanne’s structured and geometric approach to still life laid the foundation for modern art movements, including Cubism.

He rejected traditional perspective, using multiple viewpoints to depict form.

The subtle use of color gradation creates a sense of depth and solidity in the objects.

Cézanne’s interest in the underlying structure of forms is evident in the carefully balanced composition.

The arrangement of objects feels natural yet deliberately studied, emphasizing Cézanne’s analytical approach to painting.

His brushwork is visible, emphasizing texture and surface rather than smooth blending.

The painting’s focus on everyday objects elevated the still life genre to new significance.

Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire, ca. 1885–87

Depicts the iconic mountain near Aix-en-Provence, which Cézanne painted repeatedly as part of his exploration of form and color.

The landscape is built up with short, repetitive brushstrokes, creating a mosaic-like effect.

Cézanne’s use of color, rather than line, to define shape and depth reflects his break from traditional techniques.

The composition flattens space, with foreground, middle ground, and background blending together.

This painting anticipates Cubism, as Cézanne reduces the natural world to geometric forms.

The subdued color palette contrasts with the intense luminosity of Impressionist landscapes.

The work expresses Cézanne’s belief that the artist should “treat nature in terms of the cylinder, the sphere, and the cone.”

Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire Seen from Bibemus Quarry, ca. 1900

A later, more abstract version of Cézanne’s iconic landscape, characterized by bold colors and simplified forms.

The quarry in the foreground provides angular, geometric shapes that contrast with the rounded forms of the mountain.

Cézanne’s brushwork is more fragmented and dynamic, reflecting his growing abstraction.

The painting emphasizes the underlying structure of the landscape, reducing natural forms to basic shapes.

The contrast between warm (quarry) and cool (sky and mountain) colors creates visual tension.

This work was highly influential for later artists, including Picasso and Braque, in the development of Cubism.

It reflects Cézanne’s lifelong obsession with capturing the essence of the Provençal landscape.

Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, 1884–86

A masterpiece of Pointillism, created using tiny dots of color to build up form and light.

The painting depicts a cross-section of Parisian society enjoying leisure time along the Seine.

Seurat’s scientific approach to color theory emphasizes the optical blending of complementary colors.

The rigid, almost statuesque figures reflect Seurat’s interest in classical art and formality.

The painting’s still, timeless quality contrasts with the lively subject matter, creating a sense of detachment.

Seurat’s use of Pointillism was revolutionary, influencing later avant-garde movements, including Fauvism and Neo-Impressionism.

The work explores themes of modernity, class, and the structured leisure activities of 19th-century Parisians.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, At the Moulin Rouge, 1892

A vivid, dynamic depiction of the nightlife at the famous Parisian cabaret.

Toulouse-Lautrec captures the eccentric characters of the Moulin Rouge, including performers, patrons, and dancers.

The unnatural, eerie lighting, with green and blue tones, creates a sense of decadence and artificiality.

The artist’s loose brushwork and skewed perspective reflect the influence of Japanese prints and Post-Impressionist abstraction.

The inclusion of self-portraits (Toulouse-Lautrec appears in the background) adds a personal element to the scene.

The painting critiques the hedonism and excess of Parisian nightlife while also celebrating its vibrancy.

Toulouse-Lautrec’s work captures the fleeting, ephemeral nature of modern urban life.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, La Goulue, 1891

A famous lithographic poster advertising the performances of La Goulue, a star dancer at the Moulin Rouge.

The bold, simplified forms and flat areas of color reflect the influence of Japanese ukiyo-e prints.

Toulouse-Lautrec’s innovative use of typography and dynamic composition revolutionized poster art.

The exaggerated poses and bold outlines capture the energy and flamboyance of the cabaret scene.

The poster was widely distributed, bringing Toulouse-Lautrec fame as a commercial artist.

The subject, La Goulue (the Glutton), was known for her provocative cancan dancing and outsized personality.

This work reflects the merging of fine art and popular culture in late 19th-century Paris.

Vincent van Gogh, Night Café, 1888

Depicts the interior of a café in Arles, with vivid, clashing colors that create a sense of unease and tension.

Van Gogh used color expressively, with red walls, green ceiling, and yellow floors symbolizing emotional turmoil.

The skewed perspective and tilted floor enhance the disorienting atmosphere.

Van Gogh described the café as a place where one could “ruin oneself, go mad, or commit a crime.”

The figures in the background appear isolated and detached, reflecting themes of alienation and despair.

The painting’s thick, expressive brushstrokes are characteristic of Van Gogh’s later style.

This work exemplifies Van Gogh’s interest in depicting the darker, hidden aspects of modern life.

Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night, 1889

A swirling, visionary depiction of the night sky, painted while Van Gogh was in an asylum in Saint-Rémy.

The dynamic, rhythmic brushstrokes give the sky a sense of movement and energy.

The cypress tree in the foreground serves as a symbolic link between earth and sky.

Van Gogh’s use of color and texture creates a luminous, otherworldly atmosphere.

The painting reflects Van Gogh’s fascination with nature, spirituality, and the cosmos.

Despite its expressive abstraction, the painting is rooted in Van Gogh’s careful observation of the night sky.

Starry Night has become one of the most iconic images in the history of Western art.

Paul Gauguin, The Vision after the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel), 1888

Depicts Breton women in traditional dress, witnessing a religious vision after a sermon.

The scene blends the real (the women) with the imagined (the biblical vision).

Gauguin’s bold, flat areas of color and use of outline reflect the influence of Japanese prints and Cloisonnism.

The red background creates a surreal, dreamlike atmosphere, heightening the painting’s spiritual intensity.

Gauguin rejected naturalism, seeking to express inner, symbolic meaning rather than literal reality.

The painting reflects Gauguin’s interest in the spiritual simplicity of rural life and his desire to escape modern civilization.

It was highly influential for Symbolist and later Expressionist artists, emphasizing the emotional and symbolic power of color and form.

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Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, The Arts and Crafts Movement, and The Aesthetic Movement Facts

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Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, The Arts and Crafts Movement, and The Aesthetic Movement Facts

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Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood:

William Holman Hunt, The Awakening Conscience, 1853

Depicts a young woman rising suddenly from her lover’s lap, symbolizing her sudden realization of her moral predicament.

Filled with symbolic details, such as the overturned sewing basket and the discarded glove, representing lost virtue.

Reflects the Pre-Raphaelite interest in narrative, moral themes, and detailed, realistic representation.

Hunt’s meticulous attention to detail and bright, jewel-like colors are hallmarks of the Pre-Raphaelite style.

The painting critiques Victorian society’s double standards regarding women and morality.

The mirror in the background reflects the outside world, symbolizing the possibility of redemption and escape.

Hunt intended the painting to deliver a moral lesson about repentance and the dangers of leading an immoral life.

John Everett Millais, Christ in the Carpenter’s Shop, 1849–50

Depicts a young Jesus in his father Joseph’s workshop, surrounded by Mary, Joseph, and John the Baptist.

The detailed, naturalistic depiction of the figures and setting reflects the Pre-Raphaelite commitment to realism.

The painting caused controversy when it was first exhibited, as critics felt it was too realistic and lacked idealization.

Filled with symbolic details, such as the wound on Jesus’ hand (foreshadowing the Crucifixion) and the tools associated with the Passion.

Millais painted the scene from life, using real models and studying the interiors of carpentry workshops for accuracy.

The work emphasizes the humanity of Christ and the everyday labor of ordinary people, challenging traditional religious iconography.

It reflects the Pre-Raphaelite rejection of academic conventions and their emphasis on truth to nature.

The Arts and Crafts Movement:

William Morris (Morris & Co.), Green Dining Room (William Morris Room), 1867

Designed for the South Kensington Museum (now the Victoria and Albert Museum), showcasing Morris’s philosophy of integrating beauty and utility.

The room features hand-painted panels, richly patterned wallpaper, and intricate woodwork, reflecting Morris’s belief in handcrafted artistry.

Exemplifies the Arts and Crafts Movement’s emphasis on medieval-inspired design and the revival of traditional craftsmanship.

Morris aimed to counteract the effects of industrialization by promoting the value of handmade, well-designed objects.

The green color palette and floral motifs reflect Morris’s love of nature and his belief in the harmony between art and the natural world.

Collaboration was key: the project involved contributions from other artists, including Edward Burne-Jones and Philip Webb.

The room was intended as both a functional dining space and a work of art, embodying the Arts and Crafts ideal of aesthetic living.

The Aesthetic Movement:

James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket, ca. 1875

A groundbreaking, abstract depiction of a fireworks display over the Thames, emphasizing mood, atmosphere, and color.

The painting challenged traditional notions of narrative and realism, prioritizing aesthetic beauty over literal representation.

Whistler described his Nocturnes as “arrangements” in color, reflecting his belief in the “art for art’s sake” philosophy central to the Aesthetic Movement.

The painting sparked controversy when critic John Ruskin accused Whistler of “flinging a pot of paint in the public’s face,” leading to a famous libel trial.

Whistler’s emphasis on tonal harmony and abstract composition anticipated developments in modern art, including Impressionism and Symbolism.

The dark, moody palette and delicate brushwork create an ethereal, dreamlike quality.

The painting reflects the influence of Japanese art (Japonisme), particularly in its flattened perspective and emphasis on minimal detail.

John Singer Sargent, Madame X, 1884

A portrait of American socialite Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, known for her striking beauty and unconventional behavior.

The painting caused a scandal when first exhibited at the Paris Salon due to the subject’s provocative pose and revealing dress.

Sargent later modified the painting, raising the strap of Madame X’s gown to make it less controversial.

The portrait’s dramatic lighting, pale skin tones, and elegant composition reflect Sargent’s technical mastery and influence from both the Old Masters and contemporary art.

Madame X symbolizes the decadence and glamour of Belle Époque society while also challenging traditional notions of female propriety.

Sargent’s focus on surface textures—seen in the sheen of the satin gown and the smoothness of Madame X’s skin—demonstrates his skill in capturing different materials.

Despite the initial scandal, the painting later became one of Sargent’s most celebrated works and a defining image of the Aesthetic Movement.

John Singer Sargent, Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, 1885–86

Depicts two young girls lighting lanterns in an English garden at twilight, creating a serene, ethereal atmosphere.

Sargent painted the work outdoors, en plein air, to capture the subtle effects of light and color at dusk.

The title reflects the floral imagery in the painting, emphasizing the Aesthetic Movement’s focus on beauty and harmony.

Sargent’s brushwork is looser and more Impressionistic than in his formal portraits, reflecting the influence of Monet and other Impressionists.

The glowing lanterns and delicate flowers create a sense of intimacy and quiet wonder, evoking the fleeting beauty of twilight.

The painting was created during Sargent’s stay in England, where he was influenced by the English countryside and garden aesthetics.

The work was well received when exhibited at the Royal Academy in London and remains one of Sargent’s most beloved paintings.

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Impressionism:

Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise, 1872

This painting gave the Impressionist movement its name after a critic derisively labeled it "Impressionist" in 1874.

It emphasizes light, atmosphere, and transient effects over precise detail, capturing the harbor of Le Havre at sunrise.

Monet’s loose brushwork and visible strokes reflect a break from traditional academic painting.

Created during a time of industrial and social change in France, symbolizing modernity and urban life.

The muted color palette enhances the hazy, atmospheric quality of the misty harbor.

Monet sought to convey a fleeting impression rather than a fixed scene, reflecting the movement’s emphasis on capturing a moment in time.

Claude Monet, The Gare Saint-Lazare: Arrival of a Train, 1877

Depicts the modern urban setting of a bustling Parisian train station, emphasizing movement, light, and steam.

Part of a series exploring different times of day and atmospheric conditions at the station.

Reflects Monet’s fascination with modernity and industrial progress.

The interplay of light and color creates a dynamic, almost abstract composition.

Painted during the transformation of Paris under Baron Haussmann, with new infrastructure and transportation networks.

The scene contrasts the rigid structure of the station with the ephemeral, shifting clouds of steam and smoke.

The focus on everyday modern life underscores a core theme of Impressionism: depicting contemporary experiences.

Claude Monet, Rouen Cathedral, 1893

Part of a series in which Monet painted the cathedral at different times of day to capture shifting light and atmosphere.

The textured, almost abstract surface of the painting emphasizes color, light, and shadow over architectural detail.

Monet’s approach reflects his interest in how natural light transforms a subject.

The series was influenced by advances in optics and color theory in the late 19th century.

Monet rented a studio opposite the cathedral to meticulously observe and document the changing effects of light.

The paintings in the series reflect Monet’s preoccupation with the passage of time and the ephemeral nature of perception.

This work contributed to the broader exploration of series painting within Impressionism, seen also in his Haystacks and Water Lilies series.

Auguste Renoir, Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette, 1876

Depicts a lively outdoor scene at a popular dance venue in Montmartre, Paris, capturing the vibrancy of modern urban leisure.

Renoir’s use of dappled light and soft brushstrokes creates a sense of movement and spontaneity.

The painting features Renoir’s friends and models, reflecting his interest in portraying people he knew.

It captures the joie de vivre of Belle Époque Paris, emphasizing social interaction and pleasure.

Renoir’s bright, warm palette enhances the festive, sunlit atmosphere of the scene.

The blurring of figures and lack of rigid outlines reflect the Impressionist emphasis on fleeting moments and atmospheric effects.

The painting was highly praised for its lively depiction of contemporary life and its technical innovation in rendering light and shadow.

Auguste Renoir, Luncheon of the Boating Party, 1881

Shows Renoir’s friends enjoying a leisurely meal on the terrace of the Maison Fournaise, a riverside restaurant near Paris.

The painting blends portraiture, still life, and landscape elements, showcasing Renoir’s diverse skills.

Renoir’s light, airy brushstrokes and vibrant color palette evoke a sense of warmth and intimacy.

Reflects the Impressionist interest in modern leisure activities and social gatherings.

The composition balances spontaneity with careful arrangement, creating a harmonious, dynamic scene.

The figures are captured mid-conversation or action, contributing to the painting’s sense of immediacy and liveliness.

This work became one of Renoir’s most celebrated paintings, exemplifying the Impressionist ethos of capturing contemporary life.

Camille Pissarro, Climbing Path, L’Hermitage, Pontoise, 1875

Depicts a rural path in Pontoise, where Pissarro lived and painted extensively.

Reflects Pissarro’s focus on rural life and working-class subjects, in contrast to urban scenes favored by other Impressionists.

Pissarro’s careful observation of light, color, and atmosphere is evident in the soft, dappled landscape.

The composition draws the viewer’s eye along the winding path, creating a sense of depth and perspective.

His loose brushwork and emphasis on natural light capture the changing effects of weather and time of day.

Pissarro was a mentor to younger Impressionists, including Cézanne and Gauguin, influencing their techniques and subject matter.

The painting reflects Pissarro’s egalitarian beliefs, depicting ordinary people and everyday rural scenes with dignity and care.

Berthe Morisot, The Cradle, 1872

One of the first Impressionist works to focus on domestic life and the role of women as mothers and caregivers.

Morisot uses soft, delicate brushstrokes and a light color palette to create an intimate, tender atmosphere.

The painting features Morisot’s sister Edma watching over her sleeping baby, symbolizing maternal love and devotion.

Reflects Morisot’s interest in depicting the private, domestic sphere, often overlooked in traditional art.

Morisot was one of the few women in the Impressionist circle and played a key role in the group’s exhibitions.

The interplay of light and shadow on the fabric and baby’s cradle exemplifies Impressionist techniques.

The painting captures a quiet, introspective moment, emphasizing emotion and atmosphere over narrative.

Berthe Morisot, Summer’s Day, ca. 1879

Depicts two women in a rowboat on a lake, reflecting the Impressionist interest in modern leisure activities.

Morisot’s loose, dynamic brushstrokes capture the play of light on the water and the women’s dresses.

The painting blurs the line between figure and landscape, emphasizing the overall atmosphere rather than specific details.

Reflects Morisot’s focus on women’s experiences and the restrictions placed on their social activities.

The vibrant color palette and soft, fluid lines create a sense of lightness and movement.

Morisot often painted en plein air (outdoors), capturing the spontaneity and immediacy of the natural world.

This work was exhibited at the Impressionist exhibitions, showcasing Morisot’s innovative approach to composition and technique.

Mary Cassatt, The Child’s Bath, 1891–92

Depicts a tender, everyday moment between a mother and child, emphasizing themes of maternal care and intimacy.

Cassatt’s flattened perspective and bold patterns reflect the influence of Japanese woodblock prints (Japonisme).

The painting captures a private, domestic scene, reflecting Cassatt’s focus on women’s lives and experiences.

Cassatt’s careful attention to detail is evident in the textures of the fabric, skin, and water.

The painting’s intimate scale and subject matter challenge traditional depictions of women in art.

Cassatt was a key figure in introducing Impressionism to American audiences and promoting women’s participation in the arts.

The work exemplifies Cassatt’s mastery of light, color, and composition, blending Impressionist techniques with a unique focus on domesticity.

Mary Cassatt, In the Loge, 1878

Depicts a woman attending the opera, highlighting themes of modernity, urban life, and the public sphere.

The painting plays with the act of looking, as the woman gazes through her opera glasses while being observed by a man in the background.

Cassatt’s use of bold contrasts and dynamic composition reflects the influence of Japanese prints.

The painting explores the changing roles of women in 19th-century society, as they gained more visibility in public life.

The vibrant brushstrokes and attention to light and shadow capture the atmosphere of the opera house.

Cassatt’s focus on women’s autonomy and agency distinguishes her work from more traditional depictions of women in art.

Exhibited at the Impressionist exhibitions, this painting showcases Cassatt’s innovative approach to modern subject matter and composition.

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Japanese Prints:

Kitagawa Utamaro, Naniwa Okita Admiring Herself in a Mirror, ca. 1790–95

Part of bijin-ga (beautiful women) genre, depicting idealized female beauty.

Utamaro was known for sensitive portrayals of women and innovative use of line and color.

Created during the Edo period, when Japanese woodblock prints flourished due to urbanization.

Depicts Okita, a famous courtesan, reflecting cultural fascination with kabuki theater and the pleasure district (the “floating world”).

Demonstrates technical excellence in capturing textures (e.g., smooth skin, delicate fabrics).

Utamaro’s works were highly sought after by the urban merchant class in Edo.

His focus on everyday scenes and subtle emotional expression challenged the conventions of portraiture.

Katsushika Hokusai, The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, c. 1830–32

One of the most iconic images of Japanese art, symbolizing nature's power and human vulnerability.

Mount Fuji appears in the background, a sacred symbol in Japan.

Part of the ukiyo-e movement, which depicted landscapes, kabuki actors, and daily life.

Inspired by Western techniques, like linear perspective and Prussian blue pigment.

Reflects Japan’s fascination with nature and the sea, particularly during the late Edo period.

The print gained global recognition in the late 19th century, influencing Western art movements like Japonisme and Impressionism.

It reflects Japan’s period of self-imposed isolation (sakoku), during which coastal life and the sea played central roles

Utagawa Hiroshige, Plum Estate, Kameido, from the series 100 Famous Views of Edo, 1857

Part of Hiroshige’s famed landscape series capturing different seasons and famous locations in Edo (now Tokyo).

Reflects Japanese love of cherry blossoms and plum trees, seen as symbols of renewal.

Known for asymmetrical composition, flat planes of color, and attention to seasonal atmosphere.

Created toward the end of the Edo period, before Japan’s opening to the West in the Meiji era.

Deeply influenced later Western artists, especially the Impressionists (e.g., Monet and Van Gogh).

Hiroshige’s series captures Edo’s rapid urbanization and celebrates fleeting moments tied to nature and seasonal beauty.

This work played a role in inspiring Vincent van Gogh, who famously painted his own version in homage.

Realism:

Gustave Courbet, Burial at Ornans, 1849–50

A groundbreaking depiction of a rural funeral on a monumental scale usually reserved for religious or historical subjects.

Realism as a response to Romanticism—focused on everyday, unidealized people.

Courbet rejected the academic tradition and painted directly from life.

Seen as a political statement about the dignity of ordinary people.

Exhibited at the 1850–51 Paris Salon, sparking controversy due to its stark realism.

The work challenged the Academy’s hierarchy of subjects by treating an everyday rural funeral with the grandeur and scale of history painting.

It helped lay the foundation for the Realist movement, which sought to depict life as it truly was, without idealization.

Gustave Courbet, The Stone Breakers, 1849

Shows laborers breaking stones, emphasizing the grueling, repetitive nature of physical labor.

Destroyed during WWII but remains a key symbol of the Realist movement.

Courbet’s focus on the working class reflected socialist and revolutionary ideas of the 1848 uprisings.

Painted in muted earth tones to emphasize the harshness and bleakness of the scene.

Emphasizes the anonymous, backbreaking labor that fueled industrial and economic growth during the 19th century.

The painting’s destruction in WWII made it a potent symbol of the cultural losses caused by war.

Rosa Bonheur, Plowing in the Nivernais, 1849

Celebrates rural life and traditional agricultural practices in France.

Bonheur, a rare female artist in the 19th century, gained fame for her realistic depictions of animals.

Highly detailed and meticulously observed, reflecting scientific precision.

Symbolizes stability and productivity, resonating with post-revolutionary France’s desire for social order.

Bonheur was known for dressing in men’s clothing, which allowed her greater freedom to observe and sketch animals outdoors.

The painting was commissioned by the French government, reflecting state interest in promoting rural stability after the 1848 revolutions.

Édouard Manet, The Luncheon on the Grass (Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe), 1863

A scandalous work when first exhibited at the Salon des Refusés (Salon of the Rejected).

Shocked audiences due to the juxtaposition of a nude woman with clothed men in a contemporary setting.

Inspired by Renaissance compositions but updated with modern figures.

Often seen as a precursor to Impressionism, with loose brushstrokes and a focus on light and color.

Challenged traditional notions of beauty, narrative, and space.

Manet’s use of flat planes of color and visible brushstrokes broke with the polished surfaces of academic painting.

It sparked debates about modernity and the role of the artist in representing contemporary life

Edgar Degas, The Dance Class, 1885

Focuses on ballerinas in rehearsal, rather than performing, showing the backstage reality of ballet.

Degas experimented with asymmetrical composition, influenced by Japanese prints.

Captures fleeting moments and movement with spontaneous, sketch-like brushwork.

Highlights the harsh discipline and physical strain of ballet, contrasting its graceful public image.

Part of the Impressionist movement but with a focus on structure, drawing, and urban life.

Degas used unconventional cropping and asymmetry, reflecting his fascination with Japanese woodblock prints and photography.

He was known for observing his subjects closely in everyday settings, creating a sense of spontaneity and candid realism.

Thomas Eakins, Max Schmitt in a Single Scull, 1871 (Realism in America)

Celebrates individualism and physical fitness, reflecting American values post-Civil War.

Eakins was fascinated by anatomy and scientific observation, evident in the realistic depiction of water and rowing technique.

Shows Max Schmitt, Eakins’ friend, in a scull on the Schuylkill River near Philadelphia.

Reflects Eakins’ interest in outdoor sports and the interaction between humans and nature.

Influenced by European Realism but with a distinctly American perspective on landscape and individual achievement

Eakins’ scientific approach to art included studies of anatomy, motion, and perspective, seen in the careful rendering of the figure and landscape.

The painting reflects the post-Civil War optimism in America, emphasizing self-reliance, individual accomplishment, and mastery of the natural world.

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Locations - Post-Impressionism, Symbolism, Art Nouveau

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Locations - Post-Impressionism, Symbolism, Art Nouveau

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Post-Impressionism:

1. Paul Cézanne, Still Life with Apples in a Bowl, 1879–83 – Aix-en-Provence, France (Painted in Cézanne’s studio at the Jas de Bouffan estate)

2. Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire, ca. 1885–87 – Aix-en-Provence, France (Painted outdoors with a view of Mont Sainte-Victoire near Aix-en-Provence)

3. Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire Seen from Bibemus Quarry, ca. 1900 – Bibemus Quarry, Aix-en-Provence, France (Created at the actual Bibemus Quarry near Aix-en-Provence)

4. Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, 1884–86 – Île de la Grande Jatte, Paris, France (Depicts a park along the Seine, painted in Seurat’s Paris studio)

5. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, At the Moulin Rouge, 1892 – Moulin Rouge cabaret, Montmartre, Paris, France (Depicting the famous cabaret where Lautrec was a regular visitor)

6. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, La Goulue, 1891 – Montmartre, Paris, France (Poster created in Lautrec’s Paris studio to advertise dancer La Goulue at the Moulin Rouge)

7. Vincent van Gogh, Night Café, 1888 – Café de la Gare, Arles, France (Depicts an all-night café in Arles where Van Gogh often visited)

8. Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night, 1889 – Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France (Painted from Van Gogh’s asylum room window)

9. Paul Gauguin, The Vision after the Sermon, 1888 – Pont-Aven, Brittany, France (Inspired by the Breton peasant community and painted in Gauguin’s studio in Pont-Aven)

Symbolism:

1. Odilon Redon, The Eye Like a Strange Balloon Mounts Toward Infinity, 1878 – Paris, France (Created in Redon’s Paris studio as part of his black-and-white Noirs series)

2. Henri Rousseau, The Sleeping Gypsy, 1897 – Paris, France (Painted in Rousseau’s small Paris apartment)

3. Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893 – Oslo Fjord (formerly Kristiania), Norway (Inspired by a view of the fjord at Ekeberg Hill near Oslo)

4. Gustav Klimt, The Kiss, 1907–08 – Vienna, Austria (Created in Klimt’s studio, part of the Vienna Secession movement)

5. Henry Ossawa Tanner, Angels Appearing before the Shepherds, ca. 1910 – Paris, France (Painted in Tanner’s Paris studio after he moved from the U.S.)

6. Auguste Rodin, The Burghers of Calais, 1884–89 – Studio on Rue de l'Université, Paris, France (Commissioned for Calais, France, but sculpted in Rodin’s Paris workshop)

Art Nouveau:

1. Victor Horta, Interior Stairwell of the Tassel House, Brussels, 1892–93 – Tassel House, Brussels, Belgium (Built and designed by Horta for Professor Émile Tassel)

2. Alphonse Mucha, Dreaming (Reverie), lithograph, 1897 – Paris, France (Designed and printed in Mucha’s Paris studio)

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Locations - Japanese Prints, Realism, Impressionism, Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, The Arts and Crafts Movement, and The Aesthetic Movement

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Locations - Japanese Prints, Realism, Impressionism, Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, The Arts and Crafts Movement, and The Aesthetic Movement

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Japanese Prints:

1. Kitagawa Utamaro, Naniwa Okita Admiring Herself in a Mirror, ca. 1790–95 – Edo, Japan (Possibly created at a woodblock workshop in the bustling pleasure district of Yoshiwara, Edo)

2. Katsushika Hokusai, The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, ca. 1830–32 – Edo, Japan (Likely created in Hokusai’s home studio near Sumida River, Edo)

3. Utagawa Hiroshige, Plum Estate, Kameido, from the series 100 Famous Views of Edo, 1857 – Edo, Japan (Inspired by the Kameido Tenjin Shrine garden in Edo)

Realism:

1. Gustave Courbet, Burial at Ornans, 1849–50 – Ornans, France (Depicting a funeral in Courbet’s hometown, created in his Ornans studio)

2. Gustave Courbet, The Stone Breakers, 1849 – Near Ornans, France (Based on laborers Courbet observed on the rural roads near Ornans)

3. Rosa Bonheur, Plowing in the Nivernais, 1849 – Nivernais (Burgundy region), France (Commissioned by the French government and inspired by the farming fields of Nivernais)

4. Édouard Manet, The Luncheon on the Grass (Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe), 1863 – Paris, France (Painted in Manet’s studio on Rue de Douai, Paris)

5. Edgar Degas, The Dance Class, 1885 – Paris, France (Inspired by the ballet rehearsal rooms at the Paris Opéra)

6. Thomas Eakins, Max Schmitt in a Single Scull, 1871 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (Depicts rowing on the Schuylkill River and painted in Eakins’ Philadelphia studio)

Impressionism:

1. Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise, 1872 – Le Havre, France (Depicting the port of Le Havre, painted from a hotel window or quay)

2. Claude Monet, The Gare Saint-Lazare: Arrival of a Train, 1877 – Gare Saint-Lazare, Paris, France (Painted on-site in the railway station)

3. Claude Monet, Rouen Cathedral, 1893 – Rouen, France (Painted in a rented apartment facing Rouen Cathedral)

4. Auguste Renoir, Dance at La Moulin de la Galette, 1876 – Montmartre, Paris, France (Painted at the outdoor dance garden Le Moulin de la Galette)

5. Auguste Renoir, Luncheon of the Boating Party, 1881 – Maison Fournaise, Chatou, France (Depicts friends dining at a popular riverside restaurant)

6. Camille Pissarro, Climbing Path, L’Hermitage, Pontoise, 1875 – L’Hermitage, Pontoise, France (Painted outdoors in the rural village of Pontoise)

7. Berthe Morisot, Cradle, 1872 – Paris, France (Painted indoors, likely in a family home in Paris)

8. Berthe Morisot, Summer’s Day, ca. 1879 – Bois de Boulogne, Paris, France (Painted on location in a rowboat on the lake)

9. Mary Cassatt, The Child’s Bath, 1891–92 – Paris, France (Painted in Cassatt’s studio in Montmartre)

10. Mary Cassatt, In the Loge, 1878 – Théâtre des Italiens, Paris, France (Depicting a woman in a theater box at the opera house)

Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood:

1. William Holman Hunt, The Awakening Conscience, 1853 – London, England (Painted in Hunt’s London studio, likely inspired by the rooms in a middle-class Victorian home)

2. John Everett Millais, Christ in the Carpenter’s Shop, 1849–50 – Oxford, England (Painted on-site in a carpenter’s shop, Millais meticulously recreated a Biblical setting)

The Arts and Crafts Movement:

1. William Morris (Morris & Co.), Green Dining Room (William Morris Room), 1867 – South Kensington Museum (now the Victoria and Albert Museum), London, England (Designed as a functional dining room in the museum)

The Aesthetic Movement:

1. James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket, ca. 1875 – London, England (Inspired by the fireworks over the Thames at Cremorne Gardens)

2. John Singer Sargent, Madame X, 1897 – Paris, France (Painted in Sargent’s Paris studio on Boulevard Berthier)

3. John Singer Sargent, Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, 1885–86 – Broadway, Worcestershire, England (Painted outdoors at twilight in a garden with oil lanterns)

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Art Nouveau - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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Art Nouveau - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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Victor Horta, Interior Stairwell of the Tassel House, Brussels (1892–93)

Organic, Flowing Lines: The ironwork and wood carvings mimic natural forms like vines.

Integration of Architecture and Decoration: The design blends structure and ornament seamlessly.

Use of New Materials: Curved ironwork demonstrates Art Nouveau’s embrace of industrial techniques.

Emphasis on Asymmetry: The stairwell’s swirling patterns reject rigid, classical symmetry.

Inspired by Nature: Floral and botanical motifs dominate the design.

Elegant, Whimsical Aesthetic: The space feels luxurious, fluid, and dynamic.

Alphonse Mucha, Dreaming (Reverie) (1897)

Decorative, Curvilinear Forms: Flowing hair, draped fabric, and floral patterns create movement.

Soft, Romantic Color Palette: Warm, pastel tones enhance the dreamy quality.

Stylized Female Figure: The woman embodies Art Nouveau’s ideal of feminine beauty.

Floral and Botanical Motifs: The background and frame contain intricate plant designs.

Integration of Text and Image: Mucha’s posters often combined fine art with graphic design.

Influence of Japanese Art: The flat composition and bold outlines reflect Japonisme.

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Symbolism - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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Symbolism - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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Odilon Redon, The Eye Like a Strange Balloon Mounts Toward Infinity (1878)

Dreamlike Imagery: The floating eye suggests a surreal, subconscious vision.

Mysticism and the Unknown: The eye, often associated with knowledge, gazes into infinity, evoking a sense of cosmic mystery.

Dark, Monochromatic Palette: The lithograph’s shading creates an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere.

Psychological Depth: The work explores themes of perception, the unknown, and the human psyche.

Symbolic Representation: The eye may represent wisdom, surveillance, or a connection between physical and spiritual worlds.

Influence of Literature and Philosophy: Redon was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and the Symbolist poets.

Henri Rousseau, The Sleeping Gypsy (1897)

Mystical Atmosphere: The sleeping figure and the watchful lion create a dreamlike tension.

Simplified, Naïve Style: Flat colors and a lack of perspective add to the surreal feeling.

Symbolism of the Lion: The lion may represent nature, the subconscious, or a guardian figure.

Sense of the Uncanny: The calmness of the scene contrasts with the potential danger.

Emphasis on Intuition over Realism: The unnatural stillness and moonlit landscape evoke a meditative quality.

Timeless, Universal Theme: Suggests a connection between humanity and nature, spirituality, or the unknown.

Edvard Munch, The Scream (1893)

Emotional Expressionism: The exaggerated figure and swirling sky convey intense anxiety.

Use of Color Symbolism: Fiery reds and oranges contrast with cool blues, heightening the psychological turmoil.

Distorted Perspective: The warped bridge and landscape create a sense of instability.

Existential Theme: The figure represents universal human despair and isolation.

Influence of Personal Experience: Munch described hearing a "scream" in nature, inspiring the work.

Symbolic Use of Form: The androgynous figure’s open mouth and hollow eyes amplify the theme of silent terror.

Gustav Klimt, The Kiss (1907–08)

Ornate, Decorative Style: Rich gold leaf and intricate patterns enhance the romantic theme.

Symbolic of Love and Passion: The intertwined figures represent unity and intimacy.

Byzantine and Religious Influence: The gold resembles medieval iconography, elevating love to a sacred status.

Flattened Perspective: Figures merge into their surroundings, emphasizing emotional intensity over realism.

Contrast Between Male and Female Forms: The man’s robe has strong geometric patterns, while the woman’s is more organic, symbolizing gender differences.

Dreamlike, Transcendent Mood: The intimate embrace suggests an eternal moment beyond time.

Henry Ossawa Tanner, Angels Appearing Before the Shepherds (ca. 1910)

Mystical Light: The glowing apparition represents divine presence.

Atmospheric Perspective: The blurred, soft-focus technique enhances the supernatural effect.

Symbolism of Light vs. Darkness: The radiant angelic form contrasts with the shadowy surroundings, emphasizing spiritual revelation.

Psychological Realism: The shepherds’ body language conveys awe and fear, making the spiritual encounter feel tangible.

Emotional and Spiritual Depth: The work captures a sense of divine mystery rather than a literal biblical event.

Innovative Use of Color and Tone: The warm, golden light suggests holiness, while the muted background adds depth.

Auguste Rodin, The Burghers of Calais (1884–89)

Emotional Intensity: The figures’ gaunt faces and gestures express deep sorrow and resignation.

Symbol of Sacrifice: The burghers’ heroic act of surrender during the Hundred Years’ War is immortalized in bronze.

Human Struggle and Resilience: The heavy robes and slumped postures convey suffering and determination.

Lack of Traditional Monumentalism: Instead of a grand, elevated composition, Rodin places the figures at eye level, making them relatable.

Dramatic Contrasts in Form: Rough textures and dynamic poses enhance the sculpture’s expressiveness.

Narrative Without a Central Focus: Each figure expresses individual emotion, allowing the viewer to interpret the scene’s collective despair.

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Post-Impressionism - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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Post-Impressionism - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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Paul Cézanne, Still Life with Apples in a Bowl (1879–83)

Geometric Simplification: Objects are depicted as basic shapes, with apples appearing as spheres.

Visible Brushstrokes: Thick, layered paint creates texture and depth.

Multiple Perspectives: The table and objects appear slightly tilted, breaking traditional perspective.

Rich, Harmonious Colors: Warm and cool tones are balanced to create contrast.

Focus on Structure and Form: Rather than capturing a fleeting moment, Cézanne builds solid compositions.

Lack of Traditional Shadows: Light and shadow are conveyed through color rather than realistic shading.

Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire (ca. 1885–87)

Structured Composition: The landscape is broken into geometric planes.

Layered Brushstrokes: Each stroke builds form and texture, rather than blending smoothly.

Focus on Color Relationships: Cool blues and warm earth tones create contrast.

Simplified Natural Forms: The mountain and trees are reduced to basic shapes.

Perspective Experimentation: The depth is suggested through overlapping shapes rather than linear perspective.

Solid, Almost Sculptural Appearance: The scene has a weighty, built-up quality rather than an airy, fleeting feel.

Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire Seen from Bibemus Quarry (ca. 1900)

Increased Abstraction: The scene is further reduced into blocky, geometric forms.

Patchwork of Colors: Distinct, unblended brushstrokes define forms.

Emphasis on Structure: The mountain and quarry feel almost architectural.

Flattened Perspective: Depth is conveyed through overlapping planes rather than traditional perspective.

Nature as a Constructed Scene: Rather than just copying reality, Cézanne reconstructs it through color and form.

Subtle Movement: The vibrating color patches create a dynamic sense of life within the landscape.

Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (1884–86)

Pointillism: The entire scene is composed of small, distinct dots of color.

Optical Mixing: Rather than blending colors, Seurat relies on the eye to mix them from a distance.

Careful Composition: Figures are arranged in a structured, almost classical way.

Light and Shadow via Color: Shadows are painted in complementary hues instead of traditional dark shades.

Timeless, Almost Stiff Figures: The figures appear frozen in time rather than casually moving.

Scientific Approach to Color Theory: Inspired by contemporary theories of how colors interact.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, At the Moulin Rouge (1892)

Bold, Unnatural Colors: Harsh green light on faces creates a moody atmosphere.

Dynamic Composition: Cropped figures and diagonal lines suggest movement.

Loose, Expressive Brushwork: The scene feels spontaneous rather than polished.

Influence of Japanese Prints: The unusual angles and silhouettes reflect Japonisme.

Focus on Urban Nightlife: Captures the energy and decadence of Parisian nightlife.

Psychological Depth: Figures seem isolated or detached, emphasizing mood over realism.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, La Goulue (1891)

Graphic, Poster-Like Quality: Flat colors and bold outlines make the composition striking.

Influence of Japanese Prints: Simplified forms and asymmetry reflect Japonisme.

Bright, Contrasting Colors: The vivid yellow and red draw attention.

Emphasis on Movement: The flowing dress and gesturing figure suggest energy.

Commercial Art Influence: Designed as a promotional piece for a cabaret.

Expressive Line Work: Outlines are bold and exaggerated rather than delicate.

Vincent van Gogh, Night Café (1888)

Intense, Unnatural Colors: The red walls and green ceiling create a disorienting effect.

Expressive Brushstrokes: The paint application is rough, adding emotional intensity.

Distorted Perspective: The tilted floor and exaggerated depth make the scene feel unstable.

Psychological Tension: The use of color and space creates an uneasy, lonely mood.

Thick Impasto: Heavy paint application gives the surface texture.

Symbolic Use of Color: Van Gogh believed colors could express emotions beyond realism.

Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night (1889)

Swirling, Dynamic Brushstrokes: The sky moves with energetic, flowing lines.

Expressive, Non-Naturalistic Colors: Deep blues, yellows, and greens enhance the dreamlike atmosphere.

Thick Impasto: Heavy, textured paint application creates depth.

Subjective Interpretation of Nature: The scene is based on Van Gogh’s emotions rather than realism.

Spiritual and Symbolic Elements: The sky suggests cosmic movement and deeper meaning.

Contrast of Light and Dark: The bright stars against the dark sky create dramatic visual impact.

Paul Gauguin, The Vision After the Sermon (1888)

Flat, Bold Colors: The red ground is completely unnatural, emphasizing emotion over realism.

Symbolic Subject Matter: The biblical vision of Jacob wrestling the angel is seen by the Breton women.

Simplified, Outlined Figures: Inspired by Japanese prints and medieval stained glass.

Emphasis on Spirituality: The painting focuses on inner vision rather than external reality.

Diagonal Composition: The tree divides the real world from the imagined vision.

Use of Non-Naturalistic Perspective: The tilted, flattened space breaks with traditional depth.

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The Aesthetic Movement - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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The Aesthetic Movement - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Nocturne in Black and Gold (c. 1875)

Emphasis on Aesthetic Beauty over Narrative: The painting prioritizes mood and color harmony rather than storytelling.

Abstract, Dreamlike Quality: Loosely rendered fireworks and night sky create a blurred, almost ethereal effect.

Limited, Sophisticated Color Palette: Deep blacks and golds create a sense of mystery and elegance.

Focus on Mood and Atmosphere: The work evokes a feeling rather than depicting a specific event in detail.

Japanese Influence (Japonisme): The flattened perspective and delicate, shimmering details reflect Japanese art aesthetics.

Experimental, Expressive Brushwork: The loose, spontaneous strokes challenge traditional academic painting techniques.

John Singer Sargent, Madame X (1897)

Focus on Elegance and Beauty: The subject’s dramatic pose and luxurious dress highlight aesthetic refinement.

Sophisticated Use of Color and Light: The pale skin contrasts strikingly against the deep black gown.

Emphasis on Sensuality and Mystery: The subtle curve of the figure and turned head create intrigue.

Experimental Composition: The subject is placed off-center, enhancing the painting’s modernity.

Fashion and High Society Themes: The painting reflects aristocratic glamour, aligning with Aesthetic Movement ideals.

Bold, Confident Brushwork: Smooth yet expressive strokes create a luminous, almost photographic effect.

John Singer Sargent, Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose (1885–86)

Focus on Light and Atmosphere: The warm glow of lanterns contrasts beautifully with the cool twilight setting.

Impressionistic, Painterly Brushwork: The flowers and foliage are rendered with loose, expressive strokes.

Harmonious Color Palette: Soft pinks, greens, and whites create a sense of serenity.

Japanese Influence (Japonisme): The asymmetrical composition and lanterns reflect Eastern artistic traditions.

Emphasis on Mood over Detail: Rather than a narrative, the painting captures a fleeting, poetic moment.

Subject Matter of Beauty and Simplicity: Depicts a quiet, everyday scene rather than historical or dramatic themes.

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The Arts and Crafts Movement - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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The Arts and Crafts Movement - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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William Morris (Morris & Co.), Green Dining Room (William Morris Room) (1867)

Handcrafted, High-Quality Design: Emphasizes skilled craftsmanship over mass production.

Nature-Inspired Patterns: The wallpaper and decorative elements feature stylized floral and vine motifs.

Medieval and Gothic Revival Influences: Heavy wooden furniture and intricate detailing echo medieval design.

Harmony of Art and Function: The room integrates beauty with practical use, aligning with Arts and Crafts ideals.

Rich, Earthy Color Palette: Deep greens, warm browns, and golds create a cozy, natural ambiance.

Rejection of Industrialization: Focuses on organic, handcrafted work rather than factory-made materials.

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Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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William Holman Hunt, The Awakening Conscience (1853)

Moral Narrative: The woman’s sudden realization symbolizes redemption and moral awakening.

Intense Detail and Realism: Every object in the room is meticulously rendered with rich textures.

Symbolism in Objects: The scattered sheet music, broken string on the piano, and open window suggest themes of lost innocence and potential salvation.

Bright, Vivid Colors: The warm glow of sunlight contrasts with the darker interior, emphasizing spiritual enlightenment.

Medieval and Religious Themes: Though a contemporary setting, it reflects moral storytelling reminiscent of medieval art.

Natural Light Effects: The light streaming from the window symbolizes divine inspiration and hope.

John Everett Millais, Christ in the Carpenter’s Shop (1849–50)

Biblical Scene in Everyday Life: Depicts Christ as a child in a humble carpenter’s workshop.

Hyper-Realistic Detail: Every tool, wood grain, and facial expression is precisely rendered.

Symbolism Throughout: The wound on Christ’s hand foreshadows the Crucifixion, while the lamb represents his future sacrifice.

Use of Bright, Clear Colors: The luminous hues heighten the spiritual intensity of the scene.

Historical Accuracy and Everyday Realism: The workshop is depicted authentically, aligning with the Pre-Raphaelites’ rejection of academic idealization.

Emphasis on Nature and Truth: The scene is grounded in physical reality, with figures appearing unposed and lifelike.

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Impressionism - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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Impressionism - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise (1872)

Loose, Visible Brushstrokes: The water and sky are painted with quick, expressive strokes.

Emphasis on Light and Atmosphere: The hazy sunrise captures changing light and atmospheric effects.

Everyday Subject Matter: Depicts a port scene, an ordinary moment rather than a grand historical event.

Bright, Unblended Colors: The orange sun contrasts with the cool blues of the water and sky.

Focus on Perception over Detail: The scene appears fleeting and sketch-like, emphasizing an impression rather than realism.

Outdoor Setting (En Plein Air Painting): Painted outdoors to capture the natural light and movement.

Claude Monet, The Gare Saint-Lazare: Arrival of a Train (1877)

Depiction of Modern Life: Focuses on a busy train station, a hallmark of industrialization.

Study of Light and Atmosphere: The steam and smoke diffuse light, creating a hazy, ethereal effect.

Quick, Visible Brushstrokes: The train, sky, and figures are loosely rendered, emphasizing movement.

Muted Color Palette with Pops of Color: The grays and blues contrast with warmer tones in the sunlight and steam.

Dynamic Composition: The train and station framework guide the viewer’s eye through the scene.

Focus on a Fleeting Moment: Captures a transient urban scene, emphasizing the spontaneity of Impressionism.

Claude Monet, Rouen Cathedral (1893)

Series Painting Concept: Part of a series exploring different lighting conditions on the same subject.

Thick, Textured Brushstrokes: The facade is built up with layers of color and paint.

Vibrant, Changing Light Effects: Different times of day transform the appearance of the cathedral.

Softened Edges and Forms: The structure appears to dissolve into light and color rather than having sharp detail.

Focus on Perception: Captures how light interacts with the cathedral rather than an exact architectural rendering.

Unconventional Perspective: The close-up framing emphasizes light and shadow over grand, formal composition.

Auguste Renoir, Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette (1876)

Depiction of Leisure and Everyday Life: Shows Parisians socializing at an outdoor dance.

Warm, Vibrant Colors: Sunlight filters through the trees, casting a golden glow.

Dappled Light Effects: Sunlight and shadows flicker across figures and surfaces.

Loose, Expressive Brushwork: Clothing and background blend softly, creating movement.

Crowded, Lively Composition: Figures overlap and engage, enhancing a sense of festivity.

Spontaneous, Unposed Figures: Captures people mid-conversation and mid-dance, emphasizing naturalism.

Auguste Renoir, Luncheon of the Boating Party (1881)

Casual, Everyday Subject: A relaxed social gathering by the river.

Interplay of Light and Shadow: Sunlight filters through an awning, casting dappled effects.

Vibrant, Warm Color Palette: Harmonious hues enhance the scene’s warmth and liveliness.

Loose, Soft Brushwork: Figures and objects are fluidly blended rather than sharply defined.

Engaging Composition: Diagonal arrangement of figures creates depth and movement.

Spontaneity and Joyful Atmosphere: Unposed expressions and gestures make the scene feel alive.

Camille Pissarro, Climbing Path, L’Hermitage, Pontoise (1875)

Depiction of Rural Life: Focuses on countryside scenery rather than urban or historical themes.

Natural Light and Shadows: Soft, warm lighting effects enhance the peaceful mood.

Visible, Short Brushstrokes: The trees, path, and sky are rendered with small dabs of color.

Perspective Through Color and Shape: Cooler tones and smaller forms recede into the background.

Asymmetrical, Dynamic Composition: The sloping path and irregular trees create visual movement.

Momentary, Everyday Scene: Captures a fleeting, quiet moment rather than a posed subject.

Berthe Morisot, The Cradle (1872)

Intimate Domestic Scene: A mother gazes lovingly at her sleeping baby.

Soft, Light-Filled Colors: Pastel hues create a gentle, dreamy quality.

Loose, Expressive Brushwork: The mother’s dress and cradle canopy are rendered with fluid strokes.

Subtle Play of Light and Shadow: Natural light softly illuminates the mother and child.

Emphasis on Emotion and Tenderness: Focuses on the connection between mother and child.

Unposed, Natural Composition: A relaxed, private moment rather than a formal portrait.

Berthe Morisot, Summer’s Day (c. 1879)

Everyday Leisure Scene: Two women enjoying a boat ride on a summer day.

Dappled Light Effects: The water reflects light, shimmering with movement.

Loose, Impressionistic Brushstrokes: The background is fluid and sketch-like.

Cool, Natural Color Palette: Blues and greens dominate, emphasizing nature’s tranquility.

Asymmetrical Composition: The placement of the figures and boat creates balance within an informal arrangement.

Momentary, Fleeting Impression: The painting captures a specific moment in time rather than a posed scene.

Mary Cassatt, The Child’s Bath (1891–92)

Focus on Mother-Child Bond: Captures a tender, everyday moment between a mother and child.

Flattened Perspective and Bold Outlines: Influenced by Japanese prints, figures appear slightly flattened.

Soft, Pastel Color Palette: Warm, muted tones create a peaceful atmosphere.

Delicate, Visible Brushstrokes: Fabric patterns and water are depicted with light, sketch-like strokes.

Private, Intimate Scene: Highlights domestic life, a key theme in Cassatt’s work.

Natural Light and Shadow: Subtle lighting emphasizes softness and warmth.

Mary Cassatt, In the Loge (1878)

Modern Social Scene: A woman watches an opera while another man observes her.

Use of Perspective and Framing: The woman is in the foreground, while the theater scene unfolds behind her.

Bold, Contrasting Colors: Dark clothing contrasts with the golden glow of the theater lights.

Expressive Brushwork: The background figures and lights are loosely defined.

Emphasis on Perception and Observation: Highlights the act of looking and being looked at.

Casual, Everyday Moment: A natural, unposed scene rather than a traditional portrait.

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Realism - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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Realism - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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Realism

1. Gustave Courbet, Burial at Ornans, 1849–50

Ordinary Subject Matter: Depicts a rural funeral, not an idealized historical or religious event.

Muted, Earthy Colors: Realistic, subdued tones reflect the somber mood.

Lifelike Figures: The figures are unidealized and show realistic facial expressions and postures.

Monumental Scale: The large canvas elevates an ordinary event to the level of history painting.

Social Commentary: Highlights the dignity of rural people and everyday life.

Lack of Heroism: No central heroic figure, emphasizing realism over romanticism.

2. Gustave Courbet, The Stone Breakers, 1849

Working-Class Focus: Depicts two laborers breaking stones, emphasizing hard physical labor.

Muted Palette: Earthy browns and grays reflect the harshness of their environment.

Unidealized Figures: The men’s worn clothing and tired postures highlight the reality of their lives.

Detail and Texture: Realistic textures in the rocks, tools, and clothing emphasize materiality.

Everyday Scene: The painting elevates an ordinary, unglamorous task.

Social Realism: A subtle critique of the harsh conditions faced by the working class.

3. Rosa Bonheur, Plowing in the Nivernais, 1849

Rural Life Depiction: Highlights the hard work of rural farmers and animals.

Detailed Realism: Carefully rendered oxen, plows, and soil emphasize accuracy and observation.

Natural Light: Soft, diffused light creates a realistic outdoor atmosphere.

Rich Textures: The fur of the oxen and the tilled soil are richly detailed.

Balanced Composition: The scene is carefully arranged to create harmony between figures and landscape.

Dignity in Labor: The painting dignifies agricultural work and rural life.

4. Édouard Manet, The Luncheon on the Grass (Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe), 1863

Everyday Figures: Depicts contemporary people rather than historical or mythological subjects.

Controversial Nudity: The nude woman is unidealized, with a direct, confrontational gaze.

Flat Lighting: Minimal chiaroscuro, with a focus on surface textures rather than depth.

Loose Brushstrokes: Visible, painterly brushwork departs from academic precision.

Realistic Setting: A picnic scene with everyday objects like fruit and clothing.

Modern Composition: Asymmetrical arrangement and unusual scale relationships challenge traditional composition.

5. Edgar Degas, The Dance Class, 1885

Focus on Everyday Life: Depicts a rehearsal scene, showing dancers in unglamorous poses.

Natural Poses: The dancers stretch, yawn, and adjust their clothing, emphasizing realism.

Muted Colors: Soft, pastel tones create a realistic, subdued atmosphere.

Asymmetrical Composition: Figures are placed off-center, with empty space adding balance.

Visible Brushwork: Loose, impressionistic brushwork captures movement and light.

Interior Lighting: Realistic lighting from windows enhances the sense of space and depth.

6. Thomas Eakins, Max Schmitt in a Single Scull, 1871 (Realism in America)

Realistic Detail: The water, boat, and figure are meticulously rendered.

Natural Lighting: The soft, clear light enhances the realism of the outdoor scene.

Focus on Everyday Leisure: Depicts rowing, a common recreational activity.

Precise Anatomy: Eakins’s knowledge of human anatomy is evident in the realistic figure.

Reflections and Textures: Detailed reflections in the water add to the realism.

Calm, Balanced Composition: The scene is carefully composed to create balance and tranquility.

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Japanese Prints - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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Japanese Prints - 5 characteristics that identify this painting

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1. Kitagawa Utamaro, Naniwa Okita Admiring Herself in a Mirror, ca. 1790–95

Elegant Female Figure: The central figure is a beautifully stylized woman, typical of ukiyo-e prints focusing on courtesans and beauties (bijinga).

Flat Color Fields: The kimono and background have minimal shading, using flat color planes.

Decorative Patterns: The woman’s kimono is adorned with intricate, decorative patterns, emphasizing design over realism.

Strong Outlines: Bold black lines define the woman’s figure and mirror frame.

Asymmetrical Composition: The off-center placement of the mirror and figure adds visual interest.

Intimate, Everyday Moment: The act of looking in the mirror reflects the ukiyo-e theme of capturing everyday life and private moments.

2. Katsushika Hokusai, The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, c. 1830–32

Dramatic Wave Forms: The large, stylized curves of the waves create a dynamic, flowing movement.

Flat Areas of Color: The water, boats, and sky are rendered with flat planes of blue and white.

Mount Fuji Symbolism: Mount Fuji is depicted as a small, serene figure in the background, symbolizing stability amidst chaos.

Asymmetry: The composition is balanced yet asymmetrical, with the wave dominating the left side.

Japanese Aesthetic Influence: The piece reflects Japanese reverence for nature, particularly the power and unpredictability of the sea.

Minimal Depth: The use of overlapping shapes creates shallow spatial depth, typical of ukiyo-e prints.

3. Utagawa Hiroshige, Plum Estate, Kameido, from the series 100 Famous Views of Edo, 1857

Nature Focus: The print highlights a blooming plum tree, reflecting the Japanese appreciation for seasonal beauty.

Asymmetrical Framing: The tree dominates the foreground, while the background contains smaller, receding forms.

Flat Color Areas: The blossoms, sky, and fence use flat color planes with minimal shading.

Detailed Linework: Delicate lines define the tree branches and blossoms.

Everyday Setting: The scene depicts a real location, emphasizing everyday life in Edo (modern-day Tokyo).

Stylized Nature: The tree and blossoms are slightly exaggerated in shape and form to enhance decorative qualities.

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·      Escaping modernity

·      What do the Post-Impressionists share in common with the Impressionists? Where do they vary?

·      Symbolism: Emphasized world of dreams, moods, fears, and desires over the everyday, contemporary world; dissatisfaction with modernity

·      Art Nouveau (1890-1900): Mostly architecture and decorative arts; characterized by abstract organic forms; influenced by William Morris’s Arts and Crafts Movement

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Flowing, organic lines

Nature-inspired motifs (flowers, vines)

Whiplash curves

Asymmetrical design

Stylized, elongated forms

Intricate patterns

Use of glass, metal, and ceramics

Soft, muted colors

Decorative architecture and furniture

Influence from Japanese art (Japonisme)

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Mystical, dreamlike themes

Emphasis on imagination

Symbolic and allegorical imagery

Dark, moody atmosphere

Rich, vibrant colors

Mythology and spirituality

Focus on emotion and the subconscious

Exotic and fantastical subjects

Flattened forms and outlines

Rejection of realism and naturalism

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Bold, vivid colors

Emotional expression

Distinct, varied brushstrokes

Emphasis on structure and form

Symbolic content

Abstract tendencies

Geometric shapes (Cézanne)

Thick paint (impasto)

Exploration of light and depth

Influence on modern art

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Characteristics / Ideas of The Aesthetic Movement

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Characteristics / Ideas of The Aesthetic Movement

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Art that focused on formal elements of art rather than story-telling or symbols

Whistler compared art to music, which depends on harmony and form rather than subject matter

"Art for art’s sake"

Focus on beauty and form

Elegant, refined design

Exotic influences (Japan, China)

Soft, muted colors

Whiplash curves and floral motifs

Peacock feathers, lilies, fans

Luxurious textiles and materials

Rejection of moral or narrative art

Influence on interior design and fashion

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Characteristics / Ideas of Arts and Crafts Movement

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Characteristics / Ideas of Arts and Crafts Movement

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Reaction to Industrial Revolution and mass production of items with poor quality

William Morris started a company that made items for homes emphasizing craftsmanship and truth to materials

Nature was an important inspiration

Handcrafted goods

Simple, functional design

Natural materials

Floral and organic patterns

Medieval and folk inspiration

Rejection of industrialization

Emphasis on craftsmanship

Decorative yet practical

Unity of art and life

Inspired by Pre-Raphaelites

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Characteristics / Ideas of Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood

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Characteristics / Ideas of Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood

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Secret society started by 3 students at the London Royal Academy: William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Wanted to reform ills of the Industrial Revolution through spirituality and art

Looked to Early Renaissance and Gothic art (art before Raphael) as pure, genuine art

Wanted to depict “truth” by close observation of nature and details

Work is characterized by rich, pure color on a white ground; also included symbolism

Looked to literature for subject matter, especially Shakespeare, the Bible, and Arthurian legends

Medieval and literary themes

Vivid, rich colors

Detailed realism

Symbolic elements

Idealized beauty

Emphasis on nature

Moral or spiritual messages

Lush, flowing fabrics

Complex compositions

Influence of early Renaissance art

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Characteristics / Ideas of Impressionism

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Characteristics / Ideas of Impressionism

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Interest in capturing:

everyday subjects
on-the-spot outdoor scenes
fleeting moments, impermanence
atmosphere, light, colored shadow
modern urban life, leisure activities
upper middle class/nouveau riche
times of day/year
look of ukiyo-e (Japanese prints)

Loose, visible brushstrokes

Focus on light and color

Outdoor (en plein air) scenes

Everyday, fleeting moments

Vibrant, varied palette

Blurred, soft edges

Interest in atmosphere

Quick, spontaneous technique

Play of reflections

Influence of Ukiyo-e prints