🎨Impressionism and Post-Impressionism Unit 5 – Photography's Impact on Impressionism

Key Concepts and Context

• Impressionism emerged in the late 19th century as a radical departure from traditional academic painting styles
• Emphasized capturing the fleeting effects of light, color, and atmosphere in everyday scenes
• Influenced by scientific discoveries in optics and color theory, as well as the rise of photography
• Rejected the idealized and highly finished works of the Academy in favor of a more spontaneous and naturalistic approach
• Key figures include Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, and Alfred Sisley
• Impressionism laid the groundwork for subsequent avant-garde movements such as Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, and Cubism

Photography's Emergence and Early Impact

• The invention of photography in the 1830s and its rapid development throughout the 19th century had a profound impact on the visual arts
• Early photographic processes included the daguerreotype, calotype, and wet plate collodion
  • Daguerreotypes produced highly detailed, one-of-a-kind images on polished silver plates
  • Calotypes allowed for the creation of paper negatives and multiple prints from a single exposure
• Photography challenged traditional notions of art as a manual skill and raised questions about the role of the artist
• Photographers began documenting the world around them, capturing everyday scenes, landscapes, and portraits with unprecedented realism
• Impressionists were drawn to photography's ability to freeze a moment in time and capture the ephemeral effects of light and atmosphere
• Some artists, such as Edgar Degas, incorporated photographic elements into their compositions or used photographs as reference material

Impressionist Techniques and Visual Perception

• Impressionists sought to capture the immediacy of visual perception and the changing effects of light and color
• Employed loose, visible brushstrokes and a lighter, more vibrant palette to convey the sensation of light and movement
• Often worked en plein air (outdoors) to directly observe and record the effects of natural light on their subjects
• Abandoned the traditional use of chiaroscuro (strong contrasts of light and dark) in favor of a more even distribution of light across the canvas
• Explored the optical mixing of colors, juxtaposing pure hues to create a shimmering, vibrating effect
• Compositions often featured asymmetrical or cropped framing, echoing the casual snapshots of amateur photography

Light and Color: Photographic Influence

• Photography's ability to capture the transient effects of light and atmosphere resonated with the Impressionists' goals
• The monochromatic nature of early photography emphasized the importance of tonal values and the play of light and shadow
• Impressionists sought to translate the effects of light into color, using a high-keyed palette and bold, unblended brushstrokes
• Explored the way colors change and interact under different lighting conditions, such as the cool blue shadows of outdoor scenes
• Captured the reflections and refractions of light on water, snow, and other surfaces, a subject that was difficult to render in traditional painting
• The Impressionists' fascination with light and color paralleled the scientific advances in color theory and the physics of light

Composition and Framing in Impressionism

• Impressionist compositions often featured unconventional framing and viewpoints, inspired by the candid perspectives of photography
• Cropped figures and objects at the edges of the canvas, creating a sense of spontaneity and immediacy
• Utilized high and low vantage points, as well as tilted horizons, to create dynamic and engaging compositions
• Incorporated elements of asymmetry and empty space, breaking away from the balanced and carefully staged compositions of academic painting
• Experimented with the flattening of pictorial space, emphasizing the two-dimensional surface of the canvas
• The influence of photographic framing can be seen in works such as Edgar Degas' cropped ballet scenes and Claude Monet's series paintings of haystacks and cathedrals

Notable Artists and Works

• Claude Monet: "Impression, Sunrise" (1872), "Haystacks" series (1890-1891), "Rouen Cathedral" series (1892-1894)
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir: "Luncheon of the Boating Party" (1880-1881), "Dance at the Moulin de la Galette" (1876)
• Camille Pissarro: "Boulevard Montmartre" series (1897), "The Red Roofs" (1877)
• Alfred Sisley: "The Bridge at Villeneuve-la-Garenne" (1872), "The Flood at Port-Marly" (1876)
• Edgar Degas: "The Dance Class" (1873-1876), "The Bellelli Family" (1858-1867)
• Berthe Morisot: "The Cradle" (1872), "Reading" (1873)
• Gustave Caillebotte: "Paris Street; Rainy Day" (1877), "The Floor Scrapers" (1875)

Criticisms and Controversies

• Impressionism faced harsh criticism from the academic establishment and the general public when it first emerged
• Critics accused the Impressionists of producing unfinished, sketchy works that lacked the refinement and detail of traditional painting
• The Impressionists' unconventional subject matter, which often depicted everyday life and leisure activities, was seen as trivial and unworthy of artistic representation
• Some critics viewed the influence of photography on Impressionism as a threat to the status of painting as a high art form
• The Impressionists' rejection of the Academy's standards and their decision to exhibit independently further fueled the controversy surrounding the movement
• Despite initial resistance, Impressionism gradually gained acceptance and recognition, paving the way for future avant-garde movements

Legacy and Influence on Later Art Movements

• Impressionism had a lasting impact on the development of modern art and continues to be celebrated for its innovations in style, technique, and subject matter
• The Impressionists' emphasis on light, color, and the capturing of fleeting moments inspired subsequent movements such as Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, and Expressionism
  • Post-Impressionists like Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, and Paul Gauguin built upon the foundations laid by the Impressionists while pursuing more structured compositions and symbolic content
  • Fauvists, led by Henri Matisse, pushed the Impressionists' use of bold, expressive color to new extremes
• The Impressionists' break from academic tradition and their embrace of modernity set the stage for the radical experimentation of the early 20th-century avant-garde
• The influence of Impressionism can be seen in the works of countless artists throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, from the Abstract Expressionists to contemporary plein air painters
• Impressionism's legacy extends beyond painting, with its principles influencing fields such as literature, music, and photography
• The movement's enduring popularity and its status as a watershed moment in the history of art cement its place as one of the most significant and influential artistic developments of the modern era